State of Arizona State of Arizona Arizona Department of Housing Welcome to the winter issue of the electronic newsletter of the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH). This electronic newsletter is published on a quarterly basis to update constituents regarding issues relevant to housing and community development within the state of Arizona. If you do not wish to receive further issues of this e-newsletter, you may unsubscribe by emailing a message to: cynthiad@housingaz.com. Welcome to our new Governor At 11:00 a.m., January 6, 2003, on the Capitol lawn, Janet A. Napolitano will be inaugurated as Arizona’s 21st Governor. Governor-elect Napolitano grew up in Albuquerque. She attended college at Santa Clara University in California, where she was named a Truman Scholar and graduated summa cum laude, and later attended law school at the University of Virginia. She moved to Arizona in 1983 to work as a federal law clerk to U.S. Appeals Court Judge Mary Shroeder. In 1989 she became a partner at the Phoenix law firm of Lewis and Roca. For the last four years she has served as State Attorney General. ADOH welcomes Arizona’s new Governor and looks forward to working with the new administration. Congratulations to former-AHC member Alan Stephens Alan Stephens, who has been serving as a member of the Arizona Housing Commission (AHC), has been named by Janet Napolitano as co-chief of staff for her new administration. Stephens, formerly the executive director of the County Supervisors Association, also worked closely with the State on affordable housing issues during his tenure as state director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Division. His main focus as co-chief of staff will be overseeing state agencies and the budget. In light of his new duties, Stephens tendered his resignation from the AHC in December. The AHC thanks Mr. Stephens for his dedication to the cause of affordable housing by serving as a member of the Commission. All at ADOH wish him well in his new role in the Governor’s office. Legislators eye Housing Trust Funds in last special session When the Arizona legislature convened in November to address the State’s ongoing budget crisis, it had earmarked the Housing Trust Fund for an additional $7million cut in funding for FY 2003. Governor Jane Dee Hull’s budget recommended no cuts to the fund. With a previous cut of $2 million already approved last spring, this additional transfer would have removed a total of $9 million, or half of the program’s budget for the current fiscal year. Affordable housing advocates from around the state were quick to react, and as a result, the $7 million cut was dropped from consideration. Such a drastic cut would have resulted in an immediate ceasing of the agency’s ability to consider any further funding requests from the fund for the remainder of this fiscal year (through June 30), including requests for the development and operation of emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities, fair housing education, emergency housing repair, and eviction and foreclosure prevention programs. While housing advocates can breath a sigh of relief that no funds were taken in the last special session, the legislature will convene again in January, to continue to try and balance the FY 2003 budget, as well as approve a budget for FY 2004. In light of the fact that significant deficits still remain in the general fund it is likely that the Housing Trust Fund may receive further scrutiny when the 46 th session of the state Legislature starts on January 13th. Arizona Affordable Housing Profile As previously reported, ADOH and the Arizona Housing Commission, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), are releasing a new report, the Arizona Affordable Housing Profile. The report, which was commissioned from Elliott D. Pollack and Company, includes a detailed examination of the housing inventory in each community and county in the state, the affordability of that housing, and efforts being undertaken by communities to produce and retain affordable units. The resulting report indicates where “gaps” exist in the affordable housing stock, community by community. The final report is now complete and will be posted to our website sometime in January. State of Arizona Public Housing Authority praised by HUD The Arizona Public Housing Authority (APHA), a division of ADOH, was praised by HUD officials in November for its outstanding oversight of the Section 8 Project-Based Contract Administration activity. Under this contract with HUD the APHA is responsible for the oversight of 111 federally subsidized properties throughout Arizona containing 7,751 units of affordable rental housing. Duties performed by the APHA include the pass-through of monthly rent subsidy payments to property owners as well as monitoring all properties on an annual basis, conducting management and occupancy reviews to assure that HUD restrictions are being implemented correctly, and that properties are continuing to be well maintained. The contract, which began October 1, 2001, received its first annual review this fall. According to Patrick Goray, the Operations Division Director of HUD’s San Francisco Multifamily Hub, “the Arizona program sets the gold standard for Project-Based Section 8 Contract Administration.” Goray went on file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Winter%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:30 AM] State of Arizona to say that it was the HUD review team’s opinion that Arizona provided the finest example of what the federal government intended when it contracted these difficult tasks out to states. Arizona is one of many state entities throughout the nation who have recently undertaken these activities on HUD’s behalf. Congratulations to Paula Scott, APHA Manager, and her hardworking team for their dedication to providing guidance and oversight in this field. New Federal Awards to Arizona: $18.5 million to provide services to homeless individuals and families and $374,922 in new Fair Housing grants In December the Bush Administration announced the largest amount of homeless assistance grants made in the nation’s history – more than $1.1 billion to fund thousands of local housing and service programs around the country. As a part of that funding, Arizona is slated to receive $18,535,872 to provide permanent housing and supportive services to the homeless, including those persons who are mentally ill, addicted or physically disabled. Through HUD’s Continuum of Care Program, the Maricopa County Continuum of Care programs will receive $10,077,673; the City of Tucson and Pima County Consortium will receive $4,299,827; and the Rural Arizona Continuum of Care, administered by ADOH, will receive $2,280,372 in funding. The Continuum of Care grants provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons. In addition, these Continuum grants fund services like job training, health care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) to Arizona total $1,878,000, with funding going to the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), Maricopa and Pima Counties, and the cities of Mesa, Phoenix, and Tucson. ESG funding converts buildings into homeless shelters, assists in the operation of local shelters and funds related social service and prevention programs. In November, HUD announced that it was providing $374,922 in new federal grants to two fair housing groups in Arizona to fight against illegal housing discrimination. Arizona Fair Housing Center will receive $99,962 for general education and outreach and Southern Arizona Housing Center is slated to receive $274,960 for a private enforcement initiative. The assistance is part of $20.3 million that HUD made available for HUD fair housing grants to partners around the country. 2002 Rural Mortgage Revenue Bond Program Don't miss out on an opportunity to access the 2002 Rural Mortgage Revenue Bond program. Each household receives a guaranteed interest rate of 6.25% and 4% of their loan amount as down payment and/or closing cost assistance. No lien is placed upon the property for this assistance and the program is available to moderate income families throughout the rural counties of the state. See the information on the 2002 Rural MRB program in the Arizona Housing Finance Authority section of our website at www.housingaz.com to learn how to access this funding. Lenders who are interested in participating in these types of programs in the future should contact Jill D. Godfrey at (602) 280-1367 or jillg@housingaz.com. Bill 1204 Temporary Committee Report on Bond Financing Senate Bill 1204 stipulated that the Arizona Housing Commission establish a temporary committee composed of representatives of all stakeholders in industrial development authority financing for single family and multiple family housing allocations pursuant to title 35, chapter 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, which deals with bond financing. The committee has issued a written report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, recommending allocations and improvements of the system. A copy of the report may be obtained by contacting Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 280-1365 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. ADOH Assists 6 Shelters with Emergency Funding ADOH has been working with a number of shelters in Maricopa County to identify ways it might assist in funding emergency beds identified as empty for lack of funding. In December, ADOH made a commitment to six agencies to provide almost half a million dollars in emergency funding. Emergency grants were approved for Chrysalis Shelter, New Life Center, Save the Family, Chicanos Por La Causa’s De Colores, Catholic Charities’ My Sister’s Place, and Area Agency on Aging which will result in the availability of 251 beds for emergency or transitional housing that would otherwise not have been made available due to a lack of funding. The majority of the beds are earmarked for victims of domestic violence. Rael joins ADOH as Community Revitalization and Housing Programs Administrator Andrew Rael has joined ADOH as Community Revitalization and Housing Programs Administrator where his responsibilities include overseeing all of the programs of the agency, including: Rental and Homeownership Programs, Special Needs Housing Programs, Community Revitalization and the Arizona Public Housing Authority. Andrew comes to us from the City of Flagstaff where he held the position of Housing Planner. His duties as Housing Planner included oversight of the CDBG Entitlement Program, LIHTC projects, HOME grants, general funded homeownership assistance programs, the development of City property for affordable housing, and construction of new homes in target neighborhoods. Andrew has an Urban Planning background that has been utilized in his writing of several plans for Flagstaff, including the Consolidated Plan, the Sunnyside Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy, the Flagstaff Affordable Housing Plan, and the Analysis to Impediments of Fair Housing. Prior to his work in Flagstaff, Andrew worked for the City of Casa Grande. He began his career working as a land use planner for the law firm of Lancy, Scult and Lazarus. You can reach Andrew at (602) 280-1449 or andrewr@housingaz.com. file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Winter%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:30 AM] State of Arizona ADOH Job Announcements ADOH is currently seeking resumes for the positions of Tribal Housing Outreach Coordinator and Homeownership Marketing Specialist. For detailed job descriptions and information on how to apply, go to: http://www.housingaz.com/posting/jobrfp.asp. ADOH moving to State Capitol Tower Plans now call for ADOH to relocate to the State Capitol Tower on March 7, and to be open for business in its new offices on Monday, March 10. The agency’s new address will be: Arizona Department of Housing State Capitol Tower 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210 Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Agency email and web addresses will not change. New telephone numbers will be posted at our website at: www.housingaz.com as soon as new numbers have been assigned. Arizona Housing Commission Meetings The Arizona Housing Commission, a 24-member advisory body to ADOH meets on a monthly basis. Meetings are rotated at sites throughout the state. The next meeting is scheduled for January 31. Members of the public are invited to attend meetings of the Commission. If you would like to be added to a list to receive future meeting notices, contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 2801365 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. AzHFA Board Meetings The Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA) Board of Directors is a seven-member board that governs the work of the AzHFA. Board meetings are open to the public and are typically held at noon on the second Tuesday of the month in Phoenix. Upcoming meets are scheduled for 12 noon on: January 14 and February 11, at the ADOH offices at 3800 North Central Avenue, Suite 1200, Phoenix and on March 11 at ADOH’s new offices at the State Capitol at 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210, Phoenix. Upcoming Conferences, Trainings and Other Happenings. . . ADOH rolling out new training schedule for 2003 ADOH staff have been hard at work developing and scheduling training opportunities that meet the needs of housing and community developers across the state and we need your help! During the month of January, our e-newsletter recipients will receive a training needs assessment survey. Please complete the survey and return it to us via email. We'll be using the results to plan future training topics and schedules. ADOH will kick-off its training year with the workshop, "Accessing the State Housing Fund" offered in Tucson on January 8 (see below) and in Phoenix on February 19. Registration forms for the February 19 date in Phoenix will be available during the week of January 13 from our website and via email notice. This workshop will provide an overview of how SHF funds can be used and will include the opportunity to meet with Housing staff to discuss individual project ideas. For more information about the workshops, call (602) 280-1423. Future training opportunities include a workshop on Labor Standards in March, a two-day workshop to prepare applications for the FY2004 State Housing Fund in late April, the roll-out of the FY 2004 State Housing Fund Program in July, State Housing Fund Implementation workshops in May and energy efficiency and building science workshops during the late spring. In addition, the new training section of our website will feature all handouts materials for any workshop approximately 1 week after the workshop. Just follow the "Training" link from the sidebar on our home page to view links to training handouts. To keep up-to-date on ADOH training opportunities, watch this e-newsletter and our website for dates and registration materials. “Accessing the State Housing Fund” Workshop – January 8 ADOH will host an all-day workshop to provide interested individuals with information on how to access the State Housing Fund (federal HOME and state Housing Trust Fund dollars) on Wednesday, January 8, 2003, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Doubletree Guest Suites Tucson at 6555 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson. A $25 workshop fee covers the cost of materials, a continental breakfast and lunch. Registration deadline is January 3. Topics covered with include: Overview of the State Housing Fund, Getting Started/Preparing to Apply, Eligible Activities, Input and Suggestions, Roundtable Discussions for Specific and Future Projects. Who should attend? New staff or first-time applicants, those with specific projects or project ideas that they would like to discuss with Housing staff. Registration information is available by contacting Terri Jones at (602) 280-1423 or via email at training@housingaz.com. Registration materials can also be downloaded from: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/SHF_Registration_1_8_03.doc. file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Winter%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:30 AM] State of Arizona The Arizona Federation of Housing Counselors Landlord Tenant Laws Workshop – January 15 The Arizona Federation of Housing Counselors (a nonprofit agency) will present a free workshop on Landlord Tenant Laws on January 15 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Housing For Mesa, 251 West Main, Mesa. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information and reservations, call (602) 257-1715. City of Phoenix Landlord Tenant Workshop – January 16 The City of Phoenix is sponsoring a Landlord Tenant Workshop from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. on January 16 at Phoenix City Hall, First Floor Assembly Rooms, 200 West Washington Street, Phoenix. The workshop is for landlords and renters and provides information on the City of Phoenix property maintenance ordinances, rights and responsibilities under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, lead-based paint disclosure laws, environmental and crime-prevention programs, and ways to create and maintain positive relationships between landlords and renters. The workshop is free, but pre-registration is requested. Call (602) 262-7344 for more information. Understanding Arizona’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit & HOME Compliance – January 30-31 All current or future Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) or HOME funded rental property owners, management agents, site managers, and other people actively involved in screening applications or leasing units to eligible households are invited to attend a two-day workshop on January 30 and 31, at the Sunshine Hotel, 3600 North 2 nd Avenue, Phoenix, 85013. Registration is $125 per person ($150 after Jan. 10). For more information regarding the workshop contact Rosie Porras at (602) 280-1365 or rosiep@housingaz.com. 9th Annual Homeownership Fair – March 15-16 The 9 th Annual Homeownership Fair, co-sponsored by HUD, City of Phoenix Housing Department, Arizona Association of REALTORS, American Mortgage Lenders Association, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, and ADOH, will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Phoenix Civic Plaza, Exhibit Hall A, on Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16. Parking and entrance to the fair are free. For more information on booth availability contact The Hallstrom Group at (480) 836-8680 or thehallstromgroup@email.com. General information on the fair is available at: www.homeownershipfair.com. The Seventh Annual Arizona Affordable Housing Conference – March 27-28 The Tucson Metropolitan Housing Commission and Metropolitan Housing Corporation have announced the 7 th Annual Arizona Affordable Housing Conference, to take place March 27-28, at the Tucson Convention Center. The conference goal is “to bring together effective and innovative resources and ideas for the creation and preservation of affordable housing.” For more information on the conference call (520) 792-1415. Notices of Funding Availability . . . 2003 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program Qualified Allocation Plan The Qualified Allocation Plan for the 2003 LIHTC Program, which describes how to apply through ADOH’s 2003 Low-Income Housing Tax Credits Program, can be downloaded from the ADOH website at: www.housingaz.com. The deadline for applying for the 2003 competitive process for 9% tax credits is 5:00 p.m. on April 1, 2003. For more information on the LIHTC program contact Quinn Gormley, Rental Development Programs Manager, at (602) 280-1463 or quinng@housingaz.com. FY 2003 State Housing Fund Notice of Funding Availability A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for FY 2003 funding for affordable housing projects and programs is posted on our website. The NOFA announces funding available from ADOH through the State Housing Fund Program (Federal HOME and State Housing Trust Fund) from July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003. To download a copy of this NOFA, visit our website at: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/Lib_SHFNOFA_2003.pdf USDA Rural Utilities Service offers grants Nonprofits, for-profits, individuals, state and local government entities, and Indian tribes can apply to the USDA Rural Utilities Service for competitive grants to fund a wide range of energy-related facilities for communities with extremely high energy costs. The deadline for applying is February 7, 2003. See the Federal Register, 12/9/2002, pp. 72904-14 or go to: www.usda.gov/rus/electric/hecgp/index.htm. More information is available by contacting Karen Larsen at (202) 720-9545 or emailing: henergy02@rus.usda.gov. Other Info . . . file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Winter%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:30 AM] State of Arizona ADOH to Provide Technical Assistance. ADOH has announced the availability of technical assistance to help communities and organizations to develop innovative projects that address their housing needs. Interested entities can receive staff assistance to pursue the steps necessary to develop housing and community development projects and strategies. To be eligible, ADOH must receive a letter of intent from interested applicants. More information on this assistance is on our website at www.housingaz.com. The Rural Water Infrastructure Committee (RWIC), staffed by the Arizona Small Utilities Association meets monthly at various locations throughout Arizona. Rural communities are invited to attend to discuss specific water and waste water problems in their areas. For more information and meeting dates/times contact Neal Whittle at: nwhittle@asua.org. November election will shift some housing players. In wake of the November elections a new cast will emerge in the 108th Congress, affecting HUD and USDA rural housing programs. Senators Richard Shelby (Ala.) and Wayne Allard (Colo.) are in line to chair the Senate Banking Committee and its Housing Subcommittee. On the Appropriations Committee, Senators Ted Stevens (Alaska), Christopher Bond (Mo.), and Thad Cochran (Miss.) will likely return to chair the full panel and the VA-HUD and agriculture subcommittees. In the House less will change, although Housing Subcommittee chair Rep. Marge Roukema (R-N.J.) is retiring. FHA Raising Mortgage Limits. The Federal Housing Administration (HFA) is increasing its single-family home mortgage limit by approximately $19,000, a more than seven percent increase over the current limit of $261,609. Effective January 1, 2003, FHA will insure single-family home mortgages up to $280,749 in high cost areas. The new loan limits are part of an annual adjustment HUD makes to account for rising home prices and are tied to the loan limits of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which announced their new limits in November 2002. National Community Capital Association research declares CD loans no riskier than others. According to a recent research by the National Community Capital Association, “community investing” loans made by Community Development Financial Institutions for housing and other purposes in distressed urban and rural markets are as safe as loans in “conventional” markets. The research findings are outlined in a report called CDFIs: Bridges Between Capital and Communities, which is available at www.communitycapital.org. Fair Housing Accessibility Training and Technical Guidance Launched. Adaptive Environments, in collaboration with Bearing Point, Inc. (formerly KPMG Consulting) and HUD, is providing design and construction technical assistance on the Fair Housing Act of 1988 to builders, design professionals, housing authorities, fair housing organizations, advocates, service providers and consumers. The goal is to increase compliance with the Act through technical assistance, training and web based resources. Adaptive Environments as the Design and Construction Resource Center will respond to questions regarding fair housing compliance through a national toll-free number 1-888-FH1RST1 (1-888-341-7781). The Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST Program will be offering information on training events, resources and additional assistance through its web site FairHousingFirst.org. Time on tribal funding. HUD reports that Time magazine is researching a story focusing on broad Indian issues, looking at tribal funding since 1985. HUD expects the story to have a focus on federal programs and funding for tribes. Nonprofit workers dedicated but stressed. The Brooking Institution’s Center for Public Service has recently released The State of the Nonprofit Workforce, which indicates that nonprofit organizations’ employees love their jobs and are dedicated to their missions, but experience stress and burn-out, and say their organizations need more training and more staff. The study can be downloaded for free at: www.tsne.org/files/306-37.pdf or a hardcopy is available for $14.95 in the fall Nonprofit Quarterly, available by calling (800) 281-7770. Working families’ housing needs rising all over U.S. A new report called America’s Working Families and the Housing Landscape 1997-2001, put out by the National Housing Conference, indicates that from 1999 to 2001 there was a 30% increase in the number of U.S. working families spending more than half their incomes for housing. The report may be downloaded the National Housing Conference website at: www.nhc.org, or is available by calling (202) 466-2121. Housing Technology Information available. The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, which is led by HUD and the National Association of Home Builders, conducts research and disseminates information to improve the affordability and value of America’s homes through technology. You can visit PATH’s website at: www.pathnet.org. Smart Growth America recommends housing to help control urban sprawl. Researchers from Smart Growth America have created a “sprawl index” using four factors to determine the extent of sprawl in 83 metropolitan areas. Their recommendations to reduce sprawl include providing affordable housing in neglected communities. Their report, Measuring Sprawl and Its Impact, is available at: www.smartgrowthamerica.org/sprawlindex/sprawlindex.html. Phoenix and Tucson, the only two Arizona communities that were gauged, ranked 62 nd and 56 th respectively out of 83 metro areas that were measured nationally. Housing Assistance Council reports one in four rural families pays too much for housing. A new HAC report Taking Stock: file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Winter%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:30 AM] State of Arizona Rural People, Poverty, and Housing at the Turn of the 21 st Century analyzes data from the 2000 Census and other sources, examining trends nationally and in five high need areas and populations: the border colonias, Central Appalachia, farmworkers, the Lower Mississippi Delta, and Native American lands. Three of the five high need areas and populations are found in Arizona. The report is available for downloading at: www.ruralhome.org. Recent Funding Announcements . . . Since November 1st, ADOH has made the following commitments for funding of housing and community development programs and projects in Arizona: State Housing Fund Program: Recipient City of Yuma Community Housing Initiative Cochise County City of Casa Grande Community Housing Initiative Community Housing Initiative Horizon Human Services Horizon Human Services US Veterans Initiative Christian Care Management Women Living Free Save the Family Foundation New Life Center Chicanos Por La Causa Chrysalis Shelter My Sister’s Place Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix TMM Family Services City of Tolleson Habitat for Humanity Tucson Development Design Group Service Area Type of Program/Project Western Rural Area: Yuma Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation Ehrenberg Acquisition/rehabilitation of rental units Southeast Rural Area: Cochise County Community Planning Grant Central Rural Area: Casa Grande Project Planning Grant Coolidge Acquisition/rehabilitation of rental units Casa Grande Acquisition/rehabilitation of rental units Casa Grande Rental Acquisition Casa Grande SHP Match Northern Rural Area: Prescott SHP Match Cottonwood New construction of rental units Metropolitan Areas: Glendale Emergency operating funds Maricopa County Emergency operating funds Maricopa County Emergency operating funds Maricopa County Emergency operating funds Maricopa County Emergency operating funds Chandler Emergency operating funds Phoenix Tucson Tolleson Tucson Tucson Homeownership assistance Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation New construction of homeownership units New construction of rental units Funding 190,000 75,000 16,728 150,000 40,000 187,080 199,645 6,854 9,087 253,729 5,000 144,828 100,000 172,103 51,000 80,000 100,000 183,800 275,000 275,000 400,000       State Housing Fund – amounts remaining available . . . look for this list to be updated regularly at www.housingaz.com To assist applicants with planning, the agency website has begun posting information on the amount of funding remaining in the State Housing Fund (HOME and Housing Trust Funds) by Activity. Special Note regarding Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation in urban counties (Maricopa and Pima Counties) Due to the volume of applicants with projects within Maricopa and Pima Counties during the first round of owner-occupied housing rehabilitation applications, the urban funding goal for Maricopa and Pima Counties has been met for this activity. As a result, the agency will not be accepting any more applications for this activity for projects serving Maricopa or Pima Counties for the remainder of this fiscal year (through June 30, 2003). Vol. 2, No. 1, released January 2003 © 2003 by the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing. The Arizona Department of Housing wants your feedback. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on how we can improve this electronic newsletter, please reply and give us your thoughts by calling Carol Ditmore at (602) 280-1458, or by email: carold@housingaz.com. file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Winter%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:30 AM] State of Arizona SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To cancel your subscription to this newsletter, click on the following link and then click “send”: mail to: cynthiad@housingaz.com? SUBJECT=UNSUBSCRIBE To change the e-mail address at which you receive this newsletter, click on the following link, type your old address in the body of the message and then “send”: mailto:cynthiad@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=ADDRESS_CHANGE THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE STATE OF ARIZONA PRESENTS THE MATERIAL IN THIS NEWSLETTER WITHOUT IT OR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES MAKING ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ASSUMING ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, PRODUCT OR PROCESS DISCLOSED, OR REPRESENTING THAT ITS USE WOULD NOT INFRINGE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS. THE USER ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ACCURACY AND THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY RELATED OR LINKED DOCUMENTS. THE STATE OF ARIZONA, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING RETAINS THE RIGHT TO CONTENT AND TO EDIT OR OTHERWISE LIMIT INFORMATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER. This E-mail update may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included 2. All copies must contain the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing copyright notice and any other notices provided therein 3. This document may NOT be distributed for profit Administration Division Arizona Department of Housing 3800 North Central Avenue, Suite 1200 Phoenix, AZ 85012 Telephone 602-280-1365 Facsimile 602-270-1470 http://www.housingaz.com file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Winter%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:30 AM] State of Arizona State of Arizona Arizona Department of Housing Welcome to the Spring 2003 issue of the electronic newsletter of the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH). This electronic newsletter is published on a quarterly basis to update constituents regarding issues relevant to housing and community development within the state of Arizona. If you do not wish to receive further issues of this e-newsletter, you may unsubscribe by emailing a message to: cynthiad@housingaz.com. Arizona Department of Housing Relocated to State Capitol On March 10 th the Arizona Department of Housing opened the doors to its new offices in the Executive Tower of the State Capitol West Wing. Please note for your records our new address:             Arizona Department of Housing             1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210             Phoenix, Arizona 85007             Telephone:      (602) 771-1000             TTY:                 (602) 771-1001             Facsimile:        (602) 771-1002 ADOH Sponsors "Homes for Arizonans" Day ADOH, in conjunction with Fannie Mae and the Arizona Housing Commission, will hold a "Homes for Arizonans" Day on Wednesday, April 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the lawn east of the Senate Chambers on the Capitol Mall in Phoenix. The day will feature exhibits showcasing efforts to create affordable housing across the state and will include State Housing Fund award announcements. Housing Trust Fund suffers cuts due to State Budget Crisis On March 17 th State Legislators passed a final FY2003 budget which contained no new direct cuts to the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), except that it maintained an earlier cut of $2 million from the fund, and further reduced the year’s deposits into the account by an additional $2.7 million through a sweep of the State’s Unclaimed Property Fund from which the HTF receives its revenues. Since the fund does not receive its annual funding until the State reconciles all of its revenues in its “13th month” (mid-July), ADOH will be taking a conservative approach in budgeting HTF for housing activities in the year to come. Further reductions to the HTF are possible when the Legislature convenes this spring to address the FY2004 budget. For more information on planned expenditures to the fund see the Consolidated Plan Update information below. ADOH announces Consolidated Plan Update Hearings ADOH is requesting input on its Draft FY 2003 State of Arizona Consolidated Plan Update (Update). The Update applies to nonmetropolitan and rural areas and describes the state’s strategies and actions related to housing, including Public Housing and Section 8, special needs (including HIV/AIDS), homeless, community development, lead based paint, anti-poverty and fair housing for State FY 2004 (July 1, 2003 – June 30, 2004). The Update includes an annual action plan, methods of distribution and geographic funding objectives for FY 2003 federal HOME, CDBG, HOPWA and ESG federal funds. The first hearing was held on March 27 th at the Affordable Housing Conference in Tucson. Remaining hearing dates are as follows: Wednesday, April 2 at 10:00 a.m. at the Safford City General Services Building, 921 W. Thatcher Blvd., Safford, Arizona. Friday, April 4, at 10:00 a.m. at the Prescott Valley Civic Center Council Chambers, 7501 E. Civic Circle, Prescott Valley, Arizona. Tuesday, April 8, at 3:00 p.m. in the Arizona Department of Housing Conference Room, State Capitol Tower, 1700 W. Washington, Suite 210, Phoenix. A copy of the Update will be available on the ADOH website at www.housingaz.com on April 1. The Arizona Public Housing Authority's Annual Agency Plan now available for review The State of Arizona Public Housing Authority (part of ADOH) administers a Section 8 housing assistance program in Graham and Yavapai Counties with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD requires all public housing authorities to submit an Annual Agency Plan and allow for public comment on the draft. To view a copy of the draft go to: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/PHA_Plan_Update_Draft_2003.pdf 2002 Rural Mortgage Revenue Bond Program Mortgage financing is still available through the 2002 Rural Mortgage Revenue Bond program. Each household receives a file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Spring%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:02 AM] State of Arizona guaranteed interest rate of 6.25% and 4% of their loan amount as down payment and/or closing cost assistance. No lien is placed upon the property for this assistance and the program is available to moderate- income families throughout the rural counties of the state. See the information on the 2002 Rural MRB program in the Arizona Housing Finance Authority section of our website at www.housingaz.com to learn how to access this funding. Lenders who are interested in participating in these types of programs in the future should contact Jill D. Godfrey at (602) 770-1021 or jillg@housingaz.com. Watch our website for new products to be released in the next few months. Tribal Housing Outreach Coordinator joins ADOH In an effort to increase the State’s effectiveness in addressing Native American housing issues in Arizona, ADOH has hired a tribal housing liaison to work with tribal entities, nonprofits and others. Michael Vaughn joined the agency in late March, after working with the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., since 1999. Prior to that Michael held positions with the Hualapai Tribe, Natural Resources Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Forestry Division. He also worked at a consultant through Hualapai Baja Enterprise. Michael holds a B.A. degree from Chapman University. Michael can be reached at (602) 771-1087 or michaelv@housingaz.com. ADOH Hires new Rental Housing Programs Manager Randy Archuleta has been hired to head the Rental Housing Programs for ADOH and is slated to begin this new position in early May. Since 1997 he has held a comparable position with the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority and has thirty years of experience in the lending industry, including over fourteen years of public lending experience with housing programs. In this new position Randy will be responsible for the oversight of rental development projects that are funded by the State through the LowIncome Housing Tax Credit Program, 501(c)(3) and private activity bond issuances, the federal HOME program, and the State Housing Trust Fund. This program annually oversees the award and administration of nearly $200 million in public funding for rental projects. Randy’s telephone and email address will be: (602) 771-1031 and randya@housingaz.com. Arizona Housing Commission Meetings The Arizona Housing Commission, a 24-member advisory body to ADOH meets on a monthly basis. Meetings are scheduled for April 25, May 30 and June 27 at the State Capitol, 1700 West Washington Street, Phoenix. Members of the public are invited to attend meetings of the Commission. If you would like to be added to a list to receive future meeting notices, contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 771-1007 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. AzHFA Board Meetings The Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA) Board of Directors is a seven-member board that governs the work of the AzHFA. Board meetings are open to the public and are typically held at noon on the second Tuesday of the month in Phoenix. Upcoming meets are scheduled for 12 noon on: April 8, May 13, and June 10, at the ADOH offices at 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210, Phoenix. For more information contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 771-1007 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. HUD awards $1.3 million to Arizona Economic Development Projects HUD recently announced grants of over $1.3 million for Economic Development Initiative (EDI) projects. Receiving award commitments were: Santa Cruz County for the restoration of a historic building; Town of Guadalupe for the renovation of the Mercado shopping center; Boys and Girls Club of Scottsdale for facility construction in Fountain Hills; the National Law Center for Inter American Free Trade facilities construction in Tucson; and Arizona State University for facilities construction for the Center for Basic Research and Applied Research within the Barry M. Goldwater Center for Science and Engineering. Upcoming Conferences, Trainings and Other Happenings. . . 2003 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Application Workshop and Public Hearing ADOH is planning a LIHTC Application Workshop and Public Hearing for the 2003 round on April 3 rd from 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. at the State Capitol, Executive Tower, 1700 West Washington Street, 2 nd Floor Conference Room. The workshop will include a presentation of the 2003 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) and a review of the application and forms. Who should attend? For-profit and non-profit developers who desire to gain additional knowledge of the LIHTC program in Arizona, any person considering applying for tax credits in 2003, and architects and mechanical engineers involved in the design of a LIHTC development. There is a registration fee of $30 that may be paid at the door (check or money order only – no cash or credit cards accepted). For more information contact Kathleen Mitchell at (602) 771-1030 or kathleenm@housingaz.com. Annual Fair Housing Summit The Annual Fair Housing Summit hosted by the Arizona Fair Housing Partnership is scheduled to take place on April 9 from 8:00 a.m. – 12 noon at the Orange Tree Resort in Scottsdale. The cost to attend is $20. For more information, contact Monica Schulik, file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Spring%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:02 AM] State of Arizona Arizona Association of REALTORS® at (602) 248-7787 or MonicaSchulik@aaronline.com. Urban Living Fair – Experience Phoenix Urban Living This interactive event scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 10 at the Arizona Center, 455 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, is designed to showcase the unique culture that surrounds urban living. Display booths, with brochures, ticket sales and give-aways are planned for employees, residents and visitors to downtown Phoenix. For more information on this event contact Lisa Malano, Downtown Phoenix Partnership at (602) 744-6408. Arizona Celebrates CDBG Week The Annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Week celebration is scheduled for the week of April 21. The Arizona Chapter of NAHRO and the Community Development Agencies of Arizona will highlight the program’s use in Arizona at a celebration held on Thursday, April 24 from 9:00 a.m. until noon at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 North Arizona Avenue, Chandler. Guest speakers and awards will highlight communities who have completed outstanding CDBG-funded projects throughout the state. For more information call (480) 782-3216 or (480) 644-4575. Healthier Housing Workshops Offered Three one-day workshops are being offered to provide housing professionals with the latest information and decision tools they need to address mold and moisture, building durability, occupant comfort and energy efficiency issues. The workshops will be offered in Phoenix on April 21, Tucson on April 23, and in Flagstaff of April 25. For more information and registration forms, please visit the ADOH website at www.housingaz.com. The workshops are sponsored by the Arizona Energy Office, Arizona Public Service Company and Tucson Electric Power Company. The workshops are free, but space is limited so early registration is recommended. For more information contact Gloria Castro at (602) 771-1143 or gloriac@azcommerce.com. Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Training The Arizona Chapter of NAHRO will be presenting a workshop on dealing with various aspects of heating and air conditioning systems, trouble shooting and systems repair. The workshop will be facilitated by Maintenance experts from Arizona Housing Authorities. The class is limited to 12 participants; the first paid participants will be confirmed for participation. The workshop will be held at the City of Phoenix Housing Department Training Facility, 701 West Buchanan Street, Phoenix (between Jefferson and Grant, under the 7th Avenue overpass). Cost is $125 for Arizona NAHRO Chapter Members; $200 for non-members. To obtain class vacancy information and register, contact Jim Donahue at the City of Phoenix at (602) 262-6793 or jim.Donahue@phoenix.gov. Section 184 Training Scheduled HUD will hold a free two-day session about its 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program April 22-23 in Denver, Colorado and July 22-23 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. For more information contact Mike Cook, Sullivan Consulting toll free at (877) 488-3483 or mcook@onesullivan.com or visit www.codetalk.fed.us/registration.html. Understanding Arizona’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit & HOME Compliance All current or future Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) or HOME funded rental property owners, management agents, site managers, and other people actively involved in screening applications or leasing units to eligible households are invited to attend a two-day workshop on June 9 and 10, at the DoubleTree Hotel at Reid Park, 445 South Alvernon Way, Tucson. The training will be presented by Ruth Theobald of TheoPro, Inc., a nationally-recognized training expert in LIHTC and HOME compliance. Early registration is $125 per person. Further information will be mailed to LIHTC and HOME-assisted property owners in mid-April. Questions? contact Rosie Porras at (602) 771-1074 or rosiep@housingaz.com. 2004 State Housing Fund Program Workshop ADOH will kick off its 2004 State Housing Fund Program with a day-and-a-half workshop on eligible activities, innovative projects, application preparation and other topics on Wednesday and Thursday, June 25 and 26. The workshop will be held in the Phoenix area. Check our website for more details and registration information beginning April 30. Save the Date – Arizona NAHRO Annual Summer Conference The Annual Arizona NAHRO Summer Conference is scheduled for July 9-11 at the North Phoenix Embassy Suites. For more information contact Ernie Garcia at the City of Tucson at (520) 791-4543 or egarcia1@mai.ci.tucson.az.us. Notices of Funding Availability . . . 2003 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Spring%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:02 AM] State of Arizona The Qualified Allocation Plan for the 2003 LIHTC Program, which describes how to apply through ADOH’s 2003 Low-Income Housing Tax Credits Program, can be downloaded from the ADOH website at: www.housingaz.com. The deadline for applying for the 2003 competitive process for 9% tax credits has been changed to 5:00 p.m. on May 15, 2003. To assist potential rental housing applicants, ADOH has created a new e-mail address exclusively for low-income housing tax credit questions. If you have a question regarding the Qualified Allocation Plan or tax credits, please forward your question to develop@housingaz.com. The "helpline" will respond within 72 hours. FY 2003 State Housing Fund Notice of Funding Availability A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for FY 2003 funding for affordable housing projects and programs is posted on our website. The NOFA announces funding available from ADOH through the State Housing Fund Program (Federal HOME and State Housing Trust Fund) from July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003. To download a copy of this NOFA, visit our website at: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/Lib_SHFNOFA_2003.pdf. The last application deadline for FY 2003 is May 31, 2003. Arizona Community Foundation’s Competitive Grant Cycle The deadline for the Arizona Community Foundation’s Competitive Grant Cycle is 5:00 p.m. on April 11. Grants are available to assist organizations in moving forward and programs thriving amidst difficult economic times. Organizations must have a completed organization profile on ACF’s website. Guidelines and instructions on applying for the spring cycle as well as the grant-training schedule are posted on www.azfoundation.org under grant applications. For more information call (602) 381-1400 or (800) 2228221. The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) offers Grants The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) offers more than 100 competitive grants, starting at $50,000, to promote social and economic self-sufficiency for Native people. Funds can be used to support locally developed social and economic development strategies. Tribes, tribal colleges, and community-based projects are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is May 2. For more information, contact the ANA applicant help desk at (202) 690-7776 or (877) 922-9262. Grants for homeless veterans reintegration available The Department of Labor has separate competitions for new, non-metropolitan, and urban grantees under its Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program. Local public agencies, nonprofits, for-profits, and others can apply for funds to provide employment, training, support services, and assistance to homeless vets. The deadline for application is April 21. For more information contact Cassandra Willis at the Department of Labor at (202) 693-4570. USDA seeks State Rural Development Council applications Partnerships that include government representatives, non-profits, and others can apply by April 21 for USDA recognition as SRDCs. Funding is not automatically provided and existing SRDCs must reapply. For more information contact Tia Trout at USDA at (202) 720-1534 or tia.trout@usda.gov or visit the USDA website at www.rurdev.usda.gov/nrdp. Other Info . . . ADOH to Provide Technical Assistance. ADOH has announced the availability of technical assistance to help communities, organizations and tribal entities to develop innovative projects that address their housing needs. Interested entities can receive staff assistance to pursue the steps necessary to develop housing and community development projects and strategies. To be eligible, ADOH must receive a letter of intent from interested applicants. More information on this assistance is on our website at www.housingaz.com. You can also email technical assistance-related questions to: technicalassistance@housingaz.com. The Rural Water Infrastructure Committee (RWIC), staffed by the Arizona Small Utilities Association meets monthly at various locations throughout Arizona. Rural communities are invited to attend to discuss specific water and waste water problems in their areas. For more information and meeting dates/times contact Neal Whittle at: nwhittle@asua.org. Free software available to assess wastewater system vulnerability. The Vulnerability Self-Assessment Software Tool (VSAT) helps wastewater utilities analyze their vulnerability to both international and natural disasters. VSAT organizes data, supports and documents vulnerability analyses, and presents complex information in an easy-to-understand format for potential utility assets. To order, go to www.amsa-cleanwater.org/about/about.cfm. National American Indian Housing Council revamps web side. The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) has reengineered its website. The web site now enables visitors to complete surveys and find more information on Indian housing news. NAIHC has also changed its web address to www.naihc.net. file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Spring%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:02 AM] State of Arizona 2003 median incomes announced. HUD has published new area median incomes for metropolitan areas and non-metro counties, explaining that there are more changes than usual because the estimates are now based on 2000 Census data. For more information go to: www.huduser.org/datasets/il/fmr03/index.html. ADOH is in the process of updating income charts for the State Housing Fund Program and will distribute this information in April. HUD designates tax credit areas. Difficult Development Areas and Qualified Census Tracts for purposes of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program have been updated to take 2000 census data into account, effective January 1, 2003. For more information see Federal Register, 12/12/02, pp. 76451-557 or visit www.huduser.org/datasets/qct.html or contact Steven Ehrlich at HUD at (202) 708-0426 or Steven_R._Ehrlich@hud.gov. Federal Housing Trust Fund legislation is re-introduced. On March 5, Reps. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Robert Simmons (RConn.), and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), on behalf of 161 cosponsors, introduced a bill authorizing creation of a national housing trust fund that would emphasize production and preservation of rental units for the lowest-income tenants. For more information on this legislation, contact the National Low Income Housing Coalition at (202) 662-1530 or www.nhtf.org. Recent Funding Announcements . . . Since January 1 st, ADOH has made the following commitments for funding of housing and community development programs and projects in Arizona: State Housing Fund Program: Recipient Western Arizona Council of Governments Mohave County Community Development Department Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Pima County Community Services SouthEastern Arizona Human Resource Council Community Action Human Resources Agency Gila County Community Services Christian Care Management Open Inn, Inc. Catholic Social Services of Yavapai and Northern Arizona Old Concho Community Assistance Center Coconino County Community Services Recovery Alternatives Tucson Metropolitan Housing Commission Phoenix, City of Phoenix, City of Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation Maricopa County Human Services Department Labor’s Community Service Agency St. Vincent de Paul Society Service Area Type of Program/Project Western Rural Area: Yuma and LaPaz Homeless prevention Counties Mohave County Homeless prevention Douglas Southeast Rural Area: New construction of rental units Pima, Pinal and Santa Homeless prevention Cruz Counties Cochise, Graham, Homeless prevention Greenlee, Santa Cruz Counties Central Rural Area: Pinal County Homeless prevention Gila County Funding 125,000 154,125 125,900 140,175 105,000 132,040 Homeless prevention Northern Rural Area: Cottonwood New construction of rental units Prescott and Flagstaff Emergency operating funds Yavapai County Homeless prevention 154,754 24,000 150,000 Apache County Homeless prevention 125,000 Coconino County Homeless prevention 150,000 Acquisition of emergency shelter Metropolitan Areas: Affordable Housing Conference 432,380 Sedona Statewide 71,986 10,000 Phoenix Phoenix Tucson Emergency operating funds for shelter Homeless prevention Acquisition and rehabilitation of rental units Maricopa County Homeless prevention 81,550 Maricopa County Homeless prevention 135,000 Maricopa County Homeless prevention 84,137 Maricopa County Homeless prevention 85,000 file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Spring%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:02 AM] 100,000 125,000 263,971 State of Arizona Chicanos Por La Causa Arizona Housing and Prevention Services Concerned Citizens for Community Health Mesa Community Action Network, Inc. FIBCO Family Services, Inc. House of Refuge – Sunnyslope Travelers Aid Society of Tucson, Inc. The Primavera Foundation The Salvation Army University of Arizona Maricopa County Pima County Homeless prevention Homeless prevention 33,000 94,095 Scottsdale Homeless prevention 50,000 Mesa Homeless prevention 72,480 Phoenix Phoenix Tucson Emergency operating Emergency operating Emergency operating 41,000 40,000 20,000 Pima County Tucson Casa Grande, Phoenix (Sunnyslope), Yuma HUD Homeless SuperNOFA administration Homeless Prevention Technical assistance 19,250 45,750 49,773       State Housing Fund – amounts remaining available . . . look for this list to be updated regularly at www.housingaz.com To assist applicants with planning, the agency website has begun posting information on the amount of funding remaining in the State Housing Fund (HOME and Housing Trust Funds) by Activity. Vol. 2, No. 2, released April 2003 © 2003 by the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing. The Arizona Department of Housing wants your feedback. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on how we can improve this electronic newsletter, please reply and give us your thoughts by calling Carol Ditmore at (602) 771-1062, or by email: carold@housingaz.com. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To cancel your subscription to this newsletter, click on the following link and then click “send”: mail to: cynthiad@housingaz.com? SUBJECT=UNSUBSCRIBE To change the e-mail address at which you receive this newsletter, click on the following link, type your old address in the body of the message and then “send”: mailto:cynthiad@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=ADDRESS_CHANGE THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE STATE OF ARIZONA PRESENTS THE MATERIAL IN THIS NEWSLETTER WITHOUT IT OR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES MAKING ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ASSUMING ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, PRODUCT OR PROCESS DISCLOSED, OR REPRESENTING THAT ITS USE WOULD NOT INFRINGE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS. THE USER ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ACCURACY AND THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY RELATED OR LINKED DOCUMENTS. THE STATE OF ARIZONA, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING RETAINS THE RIGHT TO CONTENT AND TO EDIT OR OTHERWISE LIMIT INFORMATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER. This E-mail update may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included 2. All copies must contain the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing copyright notice and any other notices provided therein 3. This document may NOT be distributed for profit Administration Division Arizona Department of Housing 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210 Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Telephone 602-771-1000 TTY 602-771-1001 file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Spring%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:02 AM] State of Arizona Facsimile 602-771-1002 http://www.housingaz.com file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Spring%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:02 AM] State of Arizona State of Arizona Arizona Department of Housing Welcome to the Summer 2003 issue of the electronic newsletter of the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH). This electronic newsletter is published on a quarterly basis to update constituents regarding issues relevant to housing and community development within the state of Arizona. If you do not wish to receive further issues of this e-newsletter, you may unsubscribe by emailing a message to: cynthiad@housingaz.com. Governor Proclaims June “Arizona Homeownership Month” Governor Janet Napolitano has declared June “Arizona Homeownership Month”. The announcement was part of a month long campaign to raise awareness about affordable homeownership opportunities in Arizona. Despite the continued strength of the housing market in Arizona, there is a significant portion of the population who cannot achieve the American dream of owning a new home. The national homeownership rate for 2002 was 67.9%, whereas the rate for homeownership in Arizona was only 65.9% falling over 2% from the previous year. Minority households have a much lower rate of homeownership than do non-minorities. ADOH and the Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA) offer various programs to assist families in rural Arizona with the purchase of a new home, including down payment and closing cost assistance and mortgage credit certificates. “The Department of Housing and the Finance Authority are working together to increase homeownership in rural Arizona via a newly designed Mortgage Credit Certificate program. This program will allow low to moderate income homeowners in rural Arizona to reduce their annual federal tax payment while becoming a homeowner,” said Sheila D. Harris, Ph.D., director of ADOH. For further information on these programs, contact Jill Godfrey at (602) 771-1021 or jillg@housingaz.com. Director of ADOH Named Deputy Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C. has designated Sheila D. Harris, Ph.D., director of ADOH, as Deputy Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRBSF), for the remainder of the year, effective May 1. San Francisco is the headquarters of the Twelfth Federal Reserve District, which includes the nine western states – Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington – plus American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Reserve Banks are the decentralized components that carry out the Federal Reserve Board policies at a regional level. Day to day, the banks execute the laws written by Congress and the regulatory policies written by the Board of Governors. The banks also play a critical role in bringing local economic perspectives to the national arena. Dr. Harris was initially appointed to the Board of Directors of the FRBSF in 1999 and was reappointed on January 1, 2002. Directors are eligible to serve two threeyear terms. Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen are selected from among the three Reserve Bank directors appointed by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and are designated to their office by the seven-member Federal Reserve Board of Governors, chaired by Dr. Alan Greenspan. Housing Trust Fund suffers cuts due to State Budget Crisis On March 17 th State Legislators passed a final FY2003 budget which contained no new direct cuts to the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), except that it maintained an earlier cut of $2 million from the fund, and further reduced the year’s deposits into the account by an additional $2.7 million through a sweep of the State’s Unclaimed Property Fund from which the HTF receives its revenues. Since the fund does not receive its annual funding until the State reconciles all of its revenues in its “13th month” (mid-July 2003), ADOH will be taking a conservative approach in budgeting HTF for housing activities in FY 2004 (starting July 1, 2003). A further, permanent cut to the HTF which would have affected funding levels beginning in FY 2005 (starting July 2004), was passed on June 12 th by the Legislature. However, Governor Napolitano line item vetoed the cut, restoring full funding to the HTF beginning in July 2004. We are grateful for the Governor’s leadership on this issue and thanks to everyone who contacted their legislator. Please contact the Governor and the legislators who supported this issue and thank them for their help. Project Spotlight: Ironwood Estates Ironwood Estates, a development recently completed by the non-profit housing development agency Community Services of Arizona (CSA), represents a unique approach to applying tax credit equity to a project that will eventually serve first-time homebuyers. The new community in Peoria is made up of 40 three bedroom, 2 bath units, each two stories and 1,300 square feet in size, with the typical upgrades you would find in a new town home development – ceramic tile, rounded corners, upgraded appliances, etc. These units will provide extremely affordable rental opportunities for low-income families earning as low as 40% of the area median income for the initial 15-year I.R.S. compliance period. The debt service payments on a HOME loan of about $400,000 from the City of Peoria will be used to establish an escrow account for down payment and closing cost assistance for low-income buyers who will eventually purchase the units in 2018. Ironwood Estates was made possible through partnerships with file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] State of Arizona ADOH, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, City of Peoria, Maricopa County, Wells Fargo Bank, WNC and Associates, and LISC. According to Brian Swanton, Director of Housing, CSA, “This was a great example of how to maximize private, non-profit and public partnerships to create high quality affordable housing for some of Arizona’s lowest income families.” ADOH publishes tentative reservation list for 2003 LIHTC Projects ADOH has published its tentative reservation and waiting lists for projects competing in the 2003 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Round. To view the list, go to: www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/2003_Tentative_%20LIHTC_Awards_List.pdf. ADOH awarded “2002 Most Valuable Partner Award” from HUD HUD’s Phoenix Field Office named ADOH one of four most valuable partners in 2002, when it awarded ADOH a “2002 Most Valuable Partner Award” at an open house held at HUD on June 18. ADOH received the award for “Exemplary work in supporting HUD’s Initiative to Increase Affordable Housing and Homeownership, for organizing and sponsoring two successful Affordable Housing Conferences, and Partnering with HUD to Co-sponsor two Homeownership Fairs.” The Most Valuable Partner Award was also presented to the City of Phoenix’s Work-Site Homebuyer Class Partnership, the Town of Guadalupe Youthbuild Program, and the Homeownership Steering Committee. Other awards that were presented at the open house were: an award for Fighting for Fair Housing, received by Arizona Fair Housing Partnership, City of Tempe’s Development Services Department and City of Mesa’s Neighborhood Services Department; an award for Reducing Homelessness and Increasing Self-Sufficiency, received by Maricopa Association of Governments’ Continuum of Care Steering Committee, Arizona Veterans Stand Down Coalition, and Lemon Grove Apartments; and an award for Promoting Jobs and Economic Opportunity, received by the City’s of Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale, and Tempe – East Valley Alliance, Project Challenge Community Assistance Program, and ASU Graduate College-Peace Corps Fellows Program. Homes for Arizonans Day at Capitol a Success Coordinated by the Arizona Housing Commission, Fannie Mae, and ADOH, the first annual Homes for Arizonans Day at the Capitol held in April was quite successful. Response from participants was very positive – many of the exhibitors had never met before and so the networking opportunity among the providers was an unexpected, positive outcome. We were fortunate to have the Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Executive Director of the United States Interagency on Homelessness and over onethird of the Arizona Legislature participating or in attendance at some point during the day. A special thanks to APS, Ruiz Engineering, Washington Mutual, Arizona Association of Realtors, and the Arizona Mortgage Lenders Association for their generous support of the event. Thanks to all of the exhibitors (listed below) who participated in this event: Arizona Bridge to Independent Living Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness City of Phoenix City of Yuma Affordable Housing Coalition Arizona Association of Realtors Arizona Mortgage Lenders Association Arizona Multi Bank Bank of America Bank One Central Arizona Association of Governments Community Development Coalition of Arizona Central Arizona Shelter Services Central Arizona Homebuilders Association Collaboration for a New Century Community Services of Arizona Development Design Group Family Housing Resources Foundation for Senior Living Habitat for Humanity Housing for Mesa City of Bullhead City City of Casa Grande City of Kingman Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. Manufactured Housing Association Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority Maricopa Association of Governments Maricopa County Multi-Family Housing Association Northern Arizona Council of Governments National Assoc of Housing Redevelopment Officials National Bank of Arizona Native American Connections Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix Northern Arizona Homebuilders Association Pima Association of Governments Protecting Arizona Families Safe Haven Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization Stardust Foundation Western Arizona Council of Governments Washington Mutual Wells Fargo Bank Bush Administration Provides Homebuyers New Protection from Predatory Lending Practice Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez announced in May a new initiative in the Bush Administration’s efforts to crackdown on predatory lending. HUD published a final rule (May 1, 2003) in the Federal Register addressing property “flipping” on mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Property “flipping” occurs when a recently acquired property is resold for a considerable profit with an artificially inflated value. “The Bush Administration is committed to maintaining a strong housing market in which consumers can feel confident that they are protected from unscrupulous practices,” Martinez said. “This final rule represents a major step in our efforts to eliminate predatory lending practices.” Predatory lending results when home purchasers become unwitting victims of lenders, sellers and appraisers, often working together. The unsuspecting homebuyers file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] State of Arizona either purchase homes with sales prices far in excess of the fair market value, or are substantially overcharged with costs associated with obtaining a mortgage. The final rule – FR-4615 Prohibition of Property Flipping in HUD’s Single Family Mortgage Insurance Programs – makes recently flipped properties ineligible for FHA mortgage insurance. It also allows FHA to better manage its insurance risk by requiring additional support for a property’s value when a significant increase between sales occurs. 2002 Rural Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program Mortgage Credit Certificates (MCC’s) were authorized by Congress in the 1984 Tax Reform Act as a means of providing assistance to low and moderate-income households to acquire homeownership. August 1 st will mark the start date of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority’s (AzHFA) 2003A Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program. Through this new program, an eligible purchaser of a new or existing single-family residence may apply for an MCC through our MCC Program Administrator, Family Housing Resources (FHR), and recipients will also have access to down payment assistance through this program. An MCC cannot be issued to a Borrower who is refinancing an existing mortgage and a Borrower may not combine the benefits of an MCC with a Federal Tax-Exempt Bond Program. Borrowers will be charged an MCC Reservation Fee of 1% of the sales price of the home for participating in the program.   An MCC operates as a Federal Income Tax Credit. The MCC reduces an eligible Borrowers’ Federal income taxes and, in effect, creates additional income for the borrower to use in making a monthly mortgage payment. The annual amount of the Federal Tax Credit is 20% of the annual interest paid or accrued on the mortgage loan for the residence. The maximum annual amount of the Tax Credit is $2,000. The amount of the Federal Tax Credit that can be claimed each year cannot exceed the Borrower’s Annual Federal Income Tax Liability, after all other credits and deductions. The itemized deduction for mortgage interest is then reduced by the amount of the Tax Credit. Unused Tax Credits under the program can generally be carried forward three years for Federal tax purposes. Benefits of the MCC are available for the life of the original mortgage as long as the Borrower occupies the property as their principle residence. To apply for an MCC, borrowers need to let their lenders know that they want to participate. Interested parties should call Family Housing Resources at 1-800-622-7462 and ask for the AzHFA 2003A MCC program materials. For general information regarding the MCC program contact Jill Godfrey or Ray Gano at ADOH at 602-771-1000. Arizona Housing Commission Meetings The Arizona Housing Commission, a 24-member advisory body to ADOH meets on a monthly basis, typically on the last Friday of the month from 9:30 a.m. until 12 noon. Meetings are scheduled for July 25 in Oro Valley, August 29 at the ADOH office, and October 3 at the Rural Development Conference in Prescott. Members of the public are invited to attend meetings of the Commission. If you would like to be added to a list to receive future meeting notices or desire information on the location of any of the meetings listed above, contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 771-1007 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. AzHFA Board Meetings The Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA) Board of Directors is a seven-member board that governs the work of the AzHFA. Board meetings are open to the public and are typically held at noon on the second Tuesday of the month in Phoenix. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for 12 noon on: July 8, August 12, and Sept. 9 at the ADOH offices at 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210, Phoenix. For more information contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 771-1007 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. Upcoming Conferences, Trainings and Other Happenings. . . Arizona NAHRO Annual Summer Conference – July 9-11 The Annual Arizona NAHRO Summer Conference is scheduled for July 9-11 at the North Phoenix Embassy Suites. For more information contact Ernie Garcia at the City of Tucson at (520) 791-4543 or egarcia1@mai.ci.tucson.az.us. Phoenix Demographic Analysis Workshop – July 10-11 This Local Area Demographic Analysis (LADA) Workshop, scheduled for July 10-11, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center, 668 North 44 th Street, Suite 212 W, Phoenix, is designed to help human services providers, grant writers, researchers or anyone that would like to easily look up and analyze demographic characteristics such as race, income, age, language, transportation, employment and housing. This training will focus on Phoenix, but the techniques presented in the workshop will be applicable to any other location. Cost is $215 (if using credit card at time of sign up) or $249. To register or for more information go to: www.smartgirltechnologies.com. file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] State of Arizona “New Partnerships In Ending Homelessness” – July 16-19 The National Alliance to End Homelessness will host a national conference, July 16-19, in Washington, DC with the theme “New Partnerships in Ending Homelessness”. For more information on this conference, contact Sally Karwowski, NAEH, at (202) 6381526, ext. 112 or conference@naeh.org or visit the NAEH website at: www.endhomelessness.org/conf2003. NAHRO’s National Conference and Summer Seminars The National Association of Housing Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)’s Summer Conference is being held in Tampa, Florida, July 25-27 and the organization’s Summer Seminars offers a wide variety of housing related trainings this summer, including: for Section 8 practitioners – Housing Quality Inspections (HQI), July 16-18 in Philadelphia, PA; Section 8 Home Ownership, July 23 in Tampa, FL; Section 8 Housing Manager (SHM) Seminar and Exam, July 28-August 1 in Myrtle Beach, SC; for Public Housing Practitioners – Public Housing Occupancy, July 23-24 in Tampa, FL and August 7-8 in Atlantic City, NJ; Public Housing Manager (PHM) Seminar and Exam, July 7-11 in Charleston, SC, July 14-18 in Seattle, WA, August 11-15 in Falmouth, MA, and August 18-22 in Lake Ozark, MO; Nuts and Bolts of Property Maintenance, August 4-5 in Chicago, IL; Financial Management, July 21-23 in Atlanta, GA; Procurement and Contract Management, July 9-10 in Denver, CO; Advanced Procurement, August 28-29 in Monterey, CA; Managing Your Modernization Operations, June 18-20 in San Antonio, TX, August 13-15 in Annapolis, MD; Labor Standards & Section 3, August 21-22 in Myrtle Beach, SC; Uniformed Physical Inspections (UPI), July 25 in Baltimore, MD; for Public Housing Residents – Resident Leadership, July 27-28 in Tampa, FL; and for Commissioners – Procurement and Ethics for Commissioners, July 27-28 in Tampa, FL. For more information on any of these happenings, visit the NAHRO website at www.nahro.org. Section 184 Training Scheduled – July 22-23 HUD will hold a free two-day session about its 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program July 22-23 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. For more information contact Mike Cook, Sullivan Consulting toll free at (877) 488-3483 or mcook@onesullivan.com or visit www.codetalk.fed.us/registration.html. Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Board Members – July 30 The Volunteer Center of Tucson will be offering “Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Board Members” on July 30 from 8:00 a.m. until noon at 924 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson. This workshop and panel discussion will focus on increasing board member knowledge and improving their effectiveness. It targets nonprofit executives, board members and prospective board members. Topics include: Roles and responsibilities of board members, agency executives and staff, expectations of board members, policy making vs. management, and strategic planning. Three current nonprofit executive directors will address the roles, responsibilities and expectations of board members from the agency executive’s perspective. Cost is $36. To RSVP, email Scott Ingram at singram@volunteertucson.org or call (520) 8881-3300. The Volunteer Center of Tucson also maintains a website at: www.volunteertucson.org. Notices of Funding Availability . . . NEW! FY 2004 State Housing Fund Notice of Funding Availability A new Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for FY 2004 funding for affordable housing projects and programs is posted on our website. The NOFA announces funding available from ADOH through the State Housing Fund Program (Federal HOME and State Housing Trust Fund) from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004. To download a copy of this NOFA, visit our website at: www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/2004_NOFA.pdf. A program summary and applications are also available on the website at www.housingaz.com. The first application deadline for FY 2004 is August 30, 2003. Accessibility Grants applications due July 14 Small faith- and community-based nonprofits can apply to the Department of Labor for grants to modify homes to further the employment opportunities of people with disabilities. The deadline is July 14. See the Federal Register, 5/29/2003, pp. 32090-106, or call Cassandra Willis, DOL, at (202) 693-4570. VA Homeless Grant applications due July 18 State, local, and tribal governments and faith- and community based organizations are eligible for grants to provide supported housing and/or services for homeless veterans. The deadline is July 18. For more information see the Federal Register, 6/9/2003, pp. 34489-91, or go to: www.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=3, or call the Veterans’ Administration, toll free, at (877) 332-0334. file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] State of Arizona Bank Enterprise Award applications due July 23 The first round of Bank Enterprise Award applications will be due on July 23. For more information on BEA’s award cycles visit: www.cdfifund.gov/programs/bea, or contact CDFI Fund staff at (202) 622-6355 or cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov. EDA economic development funds available on ongoing basis The Economic Development Administration is accepting proposals to enhance economic development in economically distressed areas. Priorities include maximizing private sector investment, upgrading business infrastructure, and responding to economic dislocations such as disasters or plant closures. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. For more information go to: www.doc.gov/eda or call (202) 482-2309. Other Info . . . Need to make a speedy delivery of materials to our office at the Capitol? . . . then we need to warn you that you may not want to use the U.S. Postal system. Since the incidents on 9/11/2001, all incoming mail to the Capitol undergoes a physical security screening at a separate facility prior to actual delivery to the Capitol complex. As a result, correspondence that would typically reach its destination in 1-2 days is taking as many as 3-4 days or more. For this reason, if the information you are sending is time-sensitive you might wish to send it by messenger, next-day delivery service, or by e-mail. We apologize for the inconvenience, but know our constituents understand increased security concerns that necessitate the increased security measures. ADOH Provides Technical Assistance. ADOH provides technical assistance to help communities, organizations and tribal entities to develop innovative projects that address their housing needs. Interested entities can receive staff assistance to pursue the steps necessary to develop housing and community development projects and strategies. To be eligible, ADOH must receive a letter of intent from interested entities. More information on this assistance is on our website at www.housingaz.com. You can also email technical assistance-related questions to: technicalassistance@housingaz.com. The Rural Water Infrastructure Committee (RWIC), staffed by the Arizona Small Utilities Association meets monthly at various locations throughout Arizona. Rural communities are invited to attend to discuss specific water and waste water problems in their areas. For more information and meeting dates/times contact Neal Whittle at: nwhittle@asua.org. HUD issues final rule on public housing homeownership. The program allows public housing agencies to sell public housing units and other units to low-income households. See Federal Register, 3/11/03, pp. 11713-28 or visit www.hudclips.org For more information contact Dominique Blom, HUD, at (202) 401-8812. Homeownership helps children. An Ohio State University study indicates that school achievement scores were higher and behavioral problems lower for children whose parents own their own homes. The report entitled “Does Homeownership Affect Child Outcomes?” has been published in Real Estate Economics and will be posted at www.areuea.org. To read more about this study, see OSU’s press release at: www.osu.edu/researchnews/archive/chldhome.htm. “Ending Chronic Homelessness: Strategies for Action”, a new plan which sets forth the goals of the Department of Health and Human Services is now available at http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/homelessness/strategies03/index.htm. This plan sets goals to help meet the administration’s aim of ending chronic homelessness within ten years. Online TANF Report. The Department of Health and Human Services’ 5 th Annual Report on the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, which provides data on states’ expenditures and caseloads, characteristics of recipients, and more is now available at: www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ofa/annualreport5/index.htm. “Women and Housing: A Status Report” reviews women’s housing situations and shows that women-headed families with children are more than twice as likely as the total population to face critical housing problems. This report, issued by the McAuley Institute is available at: www.mcauley.org. “2003 Advocates’ Guide to Housing and Community Development Policy”, a guide which describes housing-related programs, proposals, and issues, including appendices that explain the federal legislative and advocacy process, has been published by The National Low Income Housing Coalition. Printed copies are available for $25 (non-members) and $15 for NLIHC members, by calling (202) 662-1530, ext. 227, or can be downloaded for free from: www.nlihc.org. “Paycheck to Paycheck: Wages and the Cost of Housing in America” is a new report by The National Housing Conference which reports that teachers, janitors, and others often must pay more than 30% of income to buy or rent homes. The study file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] State of Arizona provides data for five occupations in 60 metropolitan areas (which include USDA-eligible rural places). For a copy of the report, go to: www.nhc.org/comm_and_pubs_paycheck01.htm. “Picking Up the Pieces: Restoring Rural Housing and Communities After a Disaster”, a guide published by the Housing Assistance Council, has been updated to include program changes and new information about assistance agencies. The guide is available at: www.ruralhome.org/pubs/publist.htm#disaster. Rural Voices emphasizes the importance of homebuyer education and counseling in the latest edition of this quarterly magazine published by the Housing Assistance Council (HAC). The articles in this issue examine various housing organizations’ programs and their effects on their communities. Additionally, the articles explore how these programs and others can become more successful and benefit more people. Rural Voices is available on HAC’s website at: www.ruralhome.org. Mail subscriptions are also available – one subscription per organization is free, and additional subscriptions are $12 per year. To subscribe, contact Luz Rosas, HAC, at (202) 842-8600 or luz@ruralhome.org. Rural Housing Services proposes major changes to Section 515, 514/516, and 521 program regulations aimed to streamline and consolidate 13 regulations into one, supplemented by three handbooks covering procedures and implementation. Comments are due August 1. For more information see the Federal Register, 6/2/2003, pp. 32871-954. Subscribe to Preservation E-news, a newsletter published by The National Housing Law Project. The organization also maintains a newsletter listserve for the discussion of both rural and urban rental housing preservation issues. Subscriptions are free, but not automated. To join, e-mail Amy Siemens at asiemens@nhlp.org. “Affordable Rental Housing and the American Dream: The Role for Foundations” is a free report put out by Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG) illustrating the need for foundations to address affordability for low-income renters. It also discusses four important housing challenges the country faces and funding strategies foundations can use. The report is free at: www.nfg.org. The long awaited revisions to HUD’s “Occupancy Requirements of Subsidized Multifamily Housing Programs” – otherwise known as the “Occupancy Handbook” (HUD 4350.3) – has been posted on hudclips. The link to the publication is at: http://hudclips.org/sub_nonhud/cgi/nph-brs.cgi? d=HSGH&s1=4350.3$[NO]&SECT5=HSGH&SECT1=TXTHLB&l=50&u=../cgi/newsdoc_run.cgi&p=1&r=1&f=S. The Annie E. Casey Foundation has published a “kids count” data book for 2003 that includes state profiles of child well being. To obtain a copy of this publication call (410) 223-2890 or go to www.kidscount.org. Recent Funding Announcements . . . Since April 1 st, ADOH has made the following commitments for funding of housing and community development programs and projects in Arizona: State Housing Fund Program: Recipient Service Area Campesinos Sin Fronteras City of Bullhead City Colorado River Union High School District #2 Mohave County Western Arizona Council of Government Yuma County Bullhead City Mohave County Cochise County Housing Authority Community Partnership of Southern Arizona Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Women’s Transition Project Community Action Human Resources Agency Type of Program/Project Western Rural Area: Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program Supportive Housing Program Administration Mohave County LaPaz, Mohave, Yuma Counties Supportive Housing Program Administration Owner-Occupied Housing Rehab/Emergency Repair Programs Southeast Rural Area: Sierra Vista/Bisbee Owner-Occupied Housing Rehab/Emergency Repair Programs Cochise, Santa Cruz Counties Supportive Housing Program Administration Safford Cochise County Pinal County New construction of rental property Supportive Housing Program Administration Central Rural Area: Supportive Housing Program Administration file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] Funding 300,000 297,543 1,412 2,352 550,000 499,132 1,850 365,000 3,063 3,823 State of Arizona Horizon Human Services, Inc. Town of Kearny Flagstaff Catholic Social Services Holbrook Catholic Charities Pinal County Kearny Supportive Housing Program Administration Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program Northern Rural Area: Coconino County Supportive Housing Program Administration Holbrook, Sun Valley, Joseph Homeless Prevention Program City, Woodruff, Navajo and Hopi Reservations Apache, Navajo Supportive Housing Program Administration Old Concho Community Assistance Center Salvation Army of Winslow The Affordable Housing Coalition The Guidance Center United States Veterans Initiative, Inc. White Mountain Catholic Charities Winslow Coconino County Flagstaff Yavapai County Show Low, Pinetop Area Agency on Aging City of Apache Junction Foundation for Senior Living Terros Behavioral Health Services Phoenix Apache Junction Maricopa County Maricopa County Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness Southwest Fair Housing Council Rural Arizona Rural Arizona Homeless Prevention Program Supportive Housing Program Administration Supportive Housing Program Administration Supportive Housing Program Administration Homeless Prevention Program Metropolitan Areas: Acquisition/rehabilitation of rental property Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program Owner-Occupied Housing Emergency Repair Program Emergency Operating grant 13 Rural Counties: Rural Continuum of Care Planning Fair Housing Education 1,938 110,000 1,548 35,500 5,930 32,000 1,862 2,588 8,342 57,500 342,748 100,000 99,000 50,000 55,000 265,000       State Housing Fund – amounts remaining available . . . look for this list to be updated regularly at www.housingaz.com To assist applicants with planning, the agency website has begun posting information on the amount of funding remaining in the State Housing Fund (HOME and Housing Trust Funds) by Activity. Vol. 2, No. 3, released July 2003 © 2003 by the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing. The Arizona Department of Housing wants your feedback. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on how we can improve this electronic newsletter, please reply and give us your thoughts by calling Carol Ditmore at (602) 771-1062, or by email: carold@housingaz.com. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To cancel your subscription to this newsletter, click on the following link and then click “send”: mail to: cynthiad@housingaz.com? SUBJECT=UNSUBSCRIBE To change the e-mail address at which you receive this newsletter, click on the following link, type your old address in the body of the message and then “send”: mailto:cynthiad@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=ADDRESS_CHANGE THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE STATE OF ARIZONA PRESENTS THE MATERIAL IN THIS NEWSLETTER WITHOUT IT OR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES MAKING ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ASSUMING ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, PRODUCT OR PROCESS DISCLOSED, OR REPRESENTING THAT ITS USE WOULD NOT INFRINGE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS. THE USER ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ACCURACY AND THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY RELATED OR LINKED DOCUMENTS. THE STATE OF ARIZONA, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING RETAINS THE RIGHT TO CONTENT AND TO EDIT OR OTHERWISE LIMIT INFORMATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER. This E-mail update may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included 2. All copies must contain the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing copyright notice and any other notices provided 3. therein This document may NOT be distributed for profit file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] State of Arizona Administration Division Arizona Department of Housing 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210 Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Telephone 602-771-1000 TTY 602-771-1001 Facsimile 602-771-1002 http://www.housingaz.com file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Summer%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:09:14 AM] State of Arizona State of Arizona Arizona Department of Housing Welcome to the Fall 2003 issue of the electronic newsletter of the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH). This electronic newsletter is published on a quarterly basis to update constituents regarding issues relevant to housing and community development within the state of Arizona. If you do not wish to receive further issues of this e-newsletter, you may unsubscribe by emailing a message to: cynthiad@housingaz.com. “Overall Satisfaction Rating” is tops in ADOH’s 2003 Customer Satisfaction Survey 100% of the respondents to ADOH’s recent Customer Satisfaction Survey gave the agency a satisfactory to excellent rating, with 47% giving the agency an “excellent” rating. This “Overall Satisfaction” rating, which came in at 6.24 (out of a possible 7 points), was a 13% increase over the agency’s rating in this category one year ago. The agency saw improvement in every area that was surveyed, with the highest improvements occurring in the following areas: (1) Ease of contacting the proper person to assist you (14% improvement); (2) Overall satisfaction with the agency (13% improvement); and (3) Timeliness of receipt of contract payments (13% improvement). The three highest rated areas were: (1) Overall satisfaction with the agency; (2) Ease of contacting the proper person; and (3) Timeliness of staff response to requests. ADOH’s Housing Market Study Guide receives national recognition Due to the slowing economy, low mortgage rates, and over-production of rental units, apartment complexes in the valley are facing growing vacancy rates (now above 10%). The problem is discussed in an August 25, 2003 Arizona Republic article, "A Renter's Paradise". ADOH recognized this softening of the market early on and instituted a process to review market data for applications for funding. A risk assessment officer reviews each application that seeks funding for the development of rental housing to determine if there is an adequate market for the population the project is attempting to target. If a market is overly saturated with apartment units serving the target population, the funding application can be denied. This process ensures that ADOH is not exacerbating the high vacancy rate in the Phoenix-metro area (as well as other areas of the state). ADOH was recognized at the annual National Council of Affordable Housing Market Analysts (NCAHMA) meeting for our Market Study Guide and analysis process. Tom Mowery, ADOH Risk Assessment Officer, was asked to give a presentation during the meeting to outline the process. Most state Tax Credit allocating agencies lack staff members with specific market analysis expertise, relying instead, on staff personnel with only limited market analysis experience or contracting the analysis process outside the agency (a costly endeavor). NCAHMA liked Arizona’s Market Study Guide and may use it as the basis for a national model. Attorney General announces plan to pay $7.1 million to Arizona Household/Beneficial Borrowers Attorney General Terry Goddard has announced that eligible Arizona consumers who received home loans from Household Finance Corp., Household Realty Corp., or Beneficial Corp. will soon be able to claim settlement payments. Notices were sent this summer to approximately 12,000 Arizona Household and Beneficial borrowers to notify them of their eligibility to share in the State’s $7.1 million settlement with Household International. All Household and Beneficial consumers who obtained a mortgage or home equity loan at an Arizona retail lending branch office from January 1999 through September 2002 are eligible to participate and will be sent forms to claim payments, ranging from a minimum of $50 to several thousand dollars. The forms will advise consumers of the minimum payment amount that they will receive if they participate in the settlement. The exact amount that they will receive may be larger depending upon how many consumers submit valid forms to the Settlement Administrator on or before October 14, 2003. For more information contact the Settlement Administrator’s toll free number at 1-888-780-2156 or visit their website at: http://www.householdbeneficial-settlement.com/. Additional information is also available at the website of the Arizona Attorney General at: http://www.attorneygeneral.state.az.us/consumer/housholdFAQ.html. U.S. Senate Appropriators Pass VA-HUD Bill The Senate Appropriations Committee marked up the VA-HUD Appropriations bill on September 4. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received $36.1 billion, approximately $91 million less than the House bill, $877 million above FY03 levels and $158 million above the Administration’s request. Most HUD programs are funded at either FY03 levels or the President’s request; exceptions include the Housing Choice Voucher program and HOPE VI. The Senate bill provides $2.6 billion for the public housing capital fund, matching the President’s request, but $71 million less than FY03 funding levels. The public housing operating fund remains at the FY03 level of $3.5 billion, $2.6 million above the President’s request. The bill includes language that prohibits the use of operating funds to pay for the operating expenses for a prior fiscal year. The Senate also rejected the Administration’s plan to sunset HOPE VI, the public housing revitalization program, as did the House. However, the House allocated only $50 million and the Senate allocated $195 million to the program. Other highlights: ü        Under the Senate Appropriations bill, the HOME production and rental assistance program would receive $1.975 billion, less than both FY03 levels and the President’s request. The Committee included a $50 million set-aside for the Administration’s American Dream Downpayment Fund, considerably less than the $200 million requested by the Administration. The $50 million appropriation would fund the proposed American Dream Downpayment Act (S.811 and H.R.1276), which would create a homeownership set-aside with existing HOME dollars. ü        The Community Development Fund would receive $4.95 billion, with $4.546 billion going to CDBG. Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA) will receive $291 million under the Senate bill, less than both the President’s request ($297 million) and the House appropriation of $302 million. ü        The Senate would fund McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance programs at $1.325 billion as the President requested, including $193 million for Shelter Plus Care renewals. There was concern based on the House appropriations that there may not be enough funding to fully fund renewals of all expiring Shelter Plus Care contracts and fund other programs, but advocates report that the $1.325 billion is adequate. The language also continues to require that no less than 30% of the funds appropriated, except funds for the renewals of Shelter Plus Care contracts, be used for permanent housing. ü      The Senate bill allocated Section 202 Elderly Housing $783 million to be used for new development, more than the FY03 level ($778 million), the President’s request ($774 million), and the House bill ($773 million). Section 811 Housing for People with Disabilities was allocated $250 file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM] State of Arizona million for new development. ü      The Senate joined the House in once again saving the Rural Housing and Economic Development program at level funding of $25 million, despite the President’s third request to defund it. ü      The Senate also matched the House in continuing the Brownfields program at $25 million, rejecting the Administration’s assertion that Brownfields duplicates efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency. ü      The Native American Housing Block Grant, which provides funding to Indian tribes and tribally designated entities to provide affordable housing in Native American communities, would be funded at $646 million, the same as the President’s request. ü      Section 236 interest reduction payments that are supposed to be used to preserve assisted housing would face recessions under the Senate bill, duplicating the House bill. The proposed rescission would be $303 million, on top of the $100 million rescission in FY03. ü        The Office of Lead Hazard Control would receive $175 million under the Senate bill, which constitutes level funding, but is $39 million more than the President’s request and $45 million more than the House bill. ü      Funding for Fair Housing Activities received an increase of $4.4 million from last year’s budget, identical to the Administration’s request and the House bill that provide $50 million for fair housing. There will be two additional opportunities for Congress to consider FY04 housing funding, on the Senate floor and then in the conference committee when the House and Senate meet to hammer out their differences. When the bill will go the Senate floor is unclear. HMIS: The Promise of Information to End Homelessness ADOH staff attended a HUD-required conference in July with the theme “HMIS: The Promise of Information to End Homelessness”. The purpose of the conference was to unveil federally-mandated data collection requirements for the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and provide guidance and training on the implementation of data systems to collect Congressionally-required unduplicated count of the numbers and demographics of the homeless population nationally. ADOH has already assisted two urban Continuum of Care coalitions (Maricopa and Pima Counties) and has begun work to complete planning for a rural Continuum of Care as a final phase of the rollout of the data systems. The implementation of this data system was only possible in Arizona through the use of Housing Trust Fund dollars as the federal resources available for this implementation are limited. Once implementation is completed, data from all Continuums in Arizona will be aggregated to provide an overall state picture of our homeless population and services. AzHFA and AHC Review ADOH Homeownership Program ADOH has established a working group comprised of members of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA), Arizona Housing Commission, and ADOH staff, to review the homeownership programs offered by the Agency and AzHFA. Specifically, the group is looking at the potential of combining the Agency’s down payment assistance program – the Rural Homeownership Assistance Program (RHAP) – with products offered by the AzHFA. Recently the AzHFA allocated resources to provide down payment assistance to first time homebuyers with incomes as high as $65,000 a year. RHAP, established in 1998 to provide assistance to low income first time homebuyers in rural Arizona (all counties excluding Maricopa and Pima), has provided assistance to nearly 1,200 households in rural Arizona to date. With the creation of the AzHFA and the existence of RHAP, the Agency and the AzHFA have an opportunity to design a program to meet both organizations’ goals of assisting first time homebuyers in rural Arizona. Casa Grande area to benefit from federal Rural Housing and Economic Program Award The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded ADOH $400,000 through the federal Rural Housing and Economic Development Program to assist residents of a colonias-designated area near Casa Grande. The grant will be used to create affordable homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income first time homebuyers, replace and rehabilitate housing units using innovative designs, and provide job training and opportunities for residents within the colonias. The grant was submitted to HUD in partnership with the City of Casa Grande. ADOH to hold Workshop on Tribal Housing Issues – October 22 ADOH will be hosting a Tribal Workshop on October 22 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., at ADOH’s offices at 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210, Phoenix. The workshop will provide technical assistance on the use of the State Housing Fund on tribal lands and it will also include discussions regarding infrastructure development and the federal Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA). The session will provide an opportunity for follow up on important issues identified by Tribal leaders and Governor Napolitano at the Governor’s recent Tribal Housing Summit. For additional information, contact Michael Vaughn, Tribal Technical Assistance Coordinator, at (602) 771-1087 or by email at: michaelv@housingaz.com. ADOH Director Featured on Glendale’s Capitol Outlook Program ADOH Director, Sheila D. Harris, Ph.D. appeared with Sen. Richard Miranda on the City of Glendale's television channel to discuss affordable housing related issues. Dr. Harris discussed the history of the Department, partnerships in the Glendale area and the Housing Trust Fund. The piece was part of the City’s “Capitol Outlook” program. Arizona Department of Revenue Announces Tax Amnesty Program The Arizona Department of Revenue has announced a tax amnesty program to allow taxpayers the opportunity to comply with tax laws without civil penalties. For more information regarding the Arizona Tax Amnesty Program, please visit the Arizona Department of Revenue website at www.taxamnesty.az.gov. Correction: Homes for Arizonans Day Exhibitors Our apologies to two important exhibitors who participated in this event in April but were left off our thank you list in the Summer E- file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM] State of Arizona newsletter: Arizona Fair Housing Center Arizona Multihousing Association Study Suggests Actions for Improving the Usefulness of the Consolidated Plan According to Recent Research Results, a publication of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the recently released study “Planning to Meet Local Housing Needs: The Role of HUD’s Consolidated Planning Requirements in the 1990’s” will provide HUD with invaluable information as it works to make the Con Plan easier to prepare and more effective in guiding program development. Throughout the 1990’s to the present, HUD has required local jurisdictions to prepare Consolidated Plans as a condition for receiving federal funds. These planning requirements are intended to encourage communities to allocate federal housing resources in conjunction with state and local funding, to address local needs and market conditions. The study explores how communities of different types have documented housing needs over the course of the 1990’s, how their housing plans relate to local needs, priorities, and market conditions, and how these plans have shaped federally funded housing activities. The analysis of the Con Plan and the planning process in six metropolitan areas concluded that HUD’s requirements are being responsibly implemented. The report recommends ways in which HUD could clarify the process and provide better support to jurisdictions to make the local Con Plans more meaningful and effective. Specifically, the Con Plan process could be strengthened in four ways: (1) Address the problem of outdated census information; (2) Have the priorities and strategies in the Consolidated Plans reflect all federal, state and local resources, not just HOME and CDBG; (3) Require Public Housing Authorities to actively participate in the local planning process; (4) Design activity reports that align with the priorities and strategies. USDA Self-Help Housing Program Turns 40 The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Home Administration Self-Help Housing Program turns 40 this year. Farmers Home Administration made its first three loans for self-help homes in Goshen, California in 1963. USDA’s “mutual self-help” program, now run by the Rural Housing Service and USDA Rural Development, trains qualifying participants to build or rehabilitate their own homes. Sponsoring organizations provide supervision and training. Families contribute about 65 percent of the labor needed. They work in groups, and no family moves into its new house until all of the houses in the group have been completed. Their “sweat equity” reduces the cost of the homes and serves as their down payments. Since 1963, USDA’s Section 502 direct loan program has provided over $1.6 billion in mortgage financing for 34,853 self-help homes. In fiscal year 2002, alone, Section 502 supplied nearly $125 million for 1,447 loans. Self-help building is aided significantly by USDA’s Section 523 program, which provides self-help technical assistance grants and contracts to local rural nonprofit organizations that sponsor self-help development. For more information about self-help housing programs, a good resource to consult is the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) website at: www.ruralhome.org/resources/selfhelp.htm. The fall issue of HAC’s magazine Rural Voices will focus on self-help. Arizona Housing Finance Authority’s 2003 MCC Program is off to a great start! A Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) is a tax credit that allows you to reduce your federal income tax liability. The tax credit can help you qualify for a home and/or help make your mortgage payments more affordable. The annual amount of the federal tax credit is 20% of the annual interest paid or accrued on the mortgage loan for the residence. The amount of the federal tax credit that can be claimed each year cannot exceed the borrower’s annual federal income tax liability. Benefits of the MCC are available for the life of the mortgage as long as the borrower occupies the property as their principle residence. And if the annual mortgage credit is not enough, the AzHFA and ADOH have teamed together to offer down payment assistance to MCC recipients. Depending upon the borrowers income, they may qualify for up to $10,000 in additional assistance. MCC’s can be used with a variety of mortgage loans and borrowers can use the lender of their choice. To apply for an MCC, borrowers should notify their mortgage lender that they are applying, and then contact Family Housing Resources in Tucson at 1-800-622-7462 to request an MCC application by mail. For more general information on MCC’s and down payment assistance, contact Jill Godfrey or Ray Gano at (602) 771-1000. Arizona Housing Finance Authority approves two Multi-Family Projects The Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA) has given preliminary approval for the use of Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds for two projects with units geared towards families in the southern part of the state. Santa Carolina with 128 units will be located in Nogales and Orgullo del Sol Apartments with 218 units will be located in San Luis. Bonds will be used to acquire, construct, and equip the affordable rental units. Arizona Housing Commission Meetings The Arizona Housing Commission, a 24-member advisory body to ADOH meets on a monthly basis. Meetings are scheduled for October 1, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., at the Rural Development Conference at the Prescott Resort in Prescott, October 31 beginning at 9:30 a.m., at the State Capitol, and December 5 (joint meeting with the AzHFA Board; location not yet determined). Members of the public are invited to attend meetings of the Commission. If you would like to be added to a list to receive future meeting notices or desire more information on any of the meetings listed above, contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 771-1007 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. Information is also available at www.housingaz.com. AzHFA Board Meetings The Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA) Board of Directors is a seven-member board that governs the work of the AzHFA. Board meetings are open to the public and are typically held at noon on the second Tuesday of the month in Phoenix. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for 12 p.m. on: October 14, and November 18 at the ADOH offices at 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210, Phoenix, and December 5 (joint meeting with the AzHFA Board; location not yet determined). For more information contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 771-1007 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. Your wish is our command Well, maybe not entirely, but you can influence ADOH’s upcoming training schedule. Within the next few weeks a Technical Assistance Needs Questionnaire will be distributed in an effort to provide the most useful technical assistance for your organization from January 2004 through June 2004. For additional information, contact Ondrea Barber, Technical Assistance Coordinator, at (602) 771-1084, or by email at: file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM] State of Arizona ondreab@housingaz.com. Upcoming Conferences, Trainings and Other Happenings. . . Native American Recognition Days: “A Reunion of Kinship, Pride and Spirit” – Month of October Native American Recognition Days (NARD) is proud to announce its 21 st anniversary with the biggest celebration ever of Native American cultures and lifeways in the metro Phoenix area. All events are open to the public, and the community is welcome to share in the rich cultural heritages of the Native Americans. This year’s events span six weeks from October 3 to November 11, 2003, and include a multitude of activities. Some of NARD’s most popular events include: Arizona Living Indian Treasures Awards (October 8 at Pueblo Grande Museum, Phoenix); NARD Parade on Central and People’s Community Luau at Steele Indian School Park (October 11, Central Avenue from Park Central Mall to Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix); Reel Indians: A Native Film Screening at ASU (October 17 at Neeb Hall, ASU Main Campus); Miss Indian Arizona Pageant (October 10 at Phoenix College); and NARD at the Desert Botanical Garden (November 11, Pueblo Grande Museum). For more information go to NARD’s website at www.aznard.com. Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Public Information Session, October 1 A Public Information Session will be presented by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust on October 1 from 10:00 a.m. until 12 noon, providing information on the Trust’s grant making priorities, proposal components, and review process. The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust is located at 6720 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 350, Scottsdale. Please R.S.V.P. at least one week before the meeting to: loyen@pipertrust.org. For more information on this organization go to: www.pipertrust.org or call (480) 948-5853. Housing Assistance Council Training, October 1-3 The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) has scheduled training for affordable rural housing practitioners on October 1-3 at the Westin Oklahoma City. Attendees can choose either Organizational Management and Housing Development Basics, including financial management, strategic planning, fundraising, an overview of development, and more; or Developing Affordable Rural Housing, including single-family and multifamily housing. Registration information and details are at: www.ruralhome.org. 6th Annual Green Building Expo, October 3-4 The 6 th Annual Green Building Expo will be held on October 3 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and October 4 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Phoenix City Hall Atrium, 200 West Washington Street, Phoenix. For more information call (480) 312-7990. Declaration of Independence Exhibit, October 4-12 The Declaration of Independence is coming to town. Come see an original copy of the Declaration and a multimedia exhibit at the Arizona Capitol Museum, 1700 West Washington, Phoenix. Dates of exhibit are: October 4-12. Monday-Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm; Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sunday: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm. For more information, visit: www.IndependenceRoadTrip.org. National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Conference – October 16-19 For more information on this upcoming conference, visit: www.naehcy.org. Arizona Stand Down, October 24-26 AZ Stand Down, an effort to help Homeless Veterans in Arizona will be held October 24-26. For more information contact Tony Perez at: Tony_G._Perez@hud.gov. National Brownfields Conference, October 27-29 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) are co-sponsoring a National Brownfields Conference, October 27-29 in Portland, Oregon. ICMA is offering a limited number of full and partial scholarships for individuals interested in attending, but who otherwise cannot attend without financial assistance for travel. The scholarship program will ensure diverse brownfields stakeholder groups’ participation. To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be affiliated with or a representative of a local government, state or tribal government, community organization, environmental justice organization, or not-for-profit entity. To learn more, contact ICMA at (202) 962-3657 or rdhesi@icma.org. An application is available at www.brownfields2003.org. For more information on the EPA Brownfields Program visit: www.epa.gov/brownfields. The Housing Credit College, October 23 and 24 The Housing Credit College will be offering Housing Credits 202: Conquering the Special Program Rules on October 23 and Housing Credits 302: Solving Management Challenges on October 24, at Embassy Suites Phoenix, 2630 Camelback Road, Phoenix. Cost is $359 per person per class or $269.25 per person if registering for both courses. For more information on these trainings, contact The Housing Credit College toll-free at 1-800-6440390. All the Way Home: Creating Partnerships to House Emancipated Foster and Homeless Youth, October 28 HomeBase: The Center for Common Concerns, Corporation for Supportive Housing, and ICF Consulting will be presenting a one-day conference on creating partnerships to house emancipated foster and homeless youth on October 28, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., at the Oakland Marriott City Center, Calvin Simmons Ballroom, 1001 Broadway, Oakland, California. Sponsors include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, State of California Department of Social Services, United Way of the Bay Area, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, and the Child Welfare League of America. For more information contact Carol Kumagai with HomeBase at: carol@homebaseccc.org. file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM] State of Arizona Advanced HOME: Doing Rental Deals, January 13-15, 2004 HUD is sponsoring this advanced HOME course in Phoenix, January 13-15 at the Hyatt Regency, 122 N. 2 nd Street, Phoenix. This advanced HOME course covers basic methods of financial and non-financial analysis, structuring various financing mechanisms in projects, and implications of HOME requirements for rental project finances. The class will focus on combining HOME with other financing mechanisms such as the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, Section 108, and CDBG. Throughout this hands-on course, participants will work with a sample project, returning to the project for exercises in each module. This is an advanced class that does not primarily focus on HOME regulations, so attendees should have at least attended Building HOME or have at least one year of HOME rental housing experience. Who should attend? State, county and local government representatives and nonprofit staff. For more information contact Lou Kislin at (602) 379-7169 or go to: www.icfhosting.com/hcd/cpd/hcdcpd.nsf/webpages/Welcome.html. Understanding Arizona’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit & HOME Compliance, January 27-28, 2004 All current or future Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) or HOME funded rental property owners, management agents, site managers, and other people actively involved in screening applications or leasing units to eligible households are invited to attend a two-day workshop on January 27-28, in Phoenix. The training will be presented by Ruth Theobald of TheoPro, Inc., a nationally-recognized training expert in LIHTC and HOME compliance. Early registration is $125 per person. Further information will be mailed to LIHTC and HOME-assisted property owners. Questions? Contact Rosie Porras at (602) 771-1074 or rosiep@housingaz.com. Notices of Funding Availability . . . FY 2004 State Housing Fund Notice of Funding Availability The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for FY 2004 funding for affordable housing projects and programs is posted on the ADOH website. The NOFA announces funding available from ADOH through the State Housing Fund Program (Federal HOME and State Housing Trust Fund) from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004. To download a copy of this NOFA, visit our website at: www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/2004_NOFA.pdf. A program summary and applications are also available on the website at www.housingaz.com. The next application deadline for FY 2004 is November 28 th . EDA economic development funds available on ongoing basis The Economic Development Administration is accepting proposals to enhance economic development in economically distressed areas. Priorities include maximizing private sector investment, upgrading business infrastructure, and responding to economic dislocations such as disasters or plant closures. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. For more information go to: www.doc.gov/eda or call (202) 482-2309. The Federal Home Loan Bank’s Affordable Housing Program (AHP) October 1 is the Federal Home Loan Bank’s next deadline for the Affordable Housing Program, which provides competitive grants and subsidy loans to create affordable rental and homeownership opportunities. Grants are provided through member banks to fill a gap in available financing. Since its inception in 1990, the Bank has awarded its members almost $296 million in AHP subsidies to help create over 59,000 units of housing. For more information go to: http://www.fhlbsf.com/ci/grant/ahp/default.asp. A roundtable workshop on the AHP was held in Phoenix in September. U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Housing Service issues NOFA for the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Rural Housing Service, USDA, has issued a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) inviting applications for the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI). $6 million in grant funds are available, with a 1:1 match requirement. Grants will be made to qualified intermediary organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development. The deadline for applying is October 28. For more information contact William Kenney, Senior Loan Specialist, at (202) 720-1506 or William.Kenney@usda.gov. Additional information is also available at the RCDI website: www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/rcdi/index.htm. Other Info . . . OMB revises Circular A-133. The Office of Management and Budget has amended Circular A-133, “Audits of States, Local Governments, and NonProfit Organizations”, changing the threshold for audits from $300,000 to $500,000 beginning December 2003. See Federal Register, 6/27/03, pp. 38401-02, or go to: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_circulars.html. Study indicates predatory lenders target Native Americans. A National American Indian Housing Council survey and a National Community Reinvestment Coalition data analysis conclude that Native Americans and Alaska Natives disproportionately receive high-cost loans, most often to buy a house. “High Cost Lending on Indian Reservations – Watch Out if You Are Buying a Home” is available at: www.ncrc.org or by calling Rachel Maleh at (202) 628-8866. U.S. Commission on Civil Rights indicates that available federal funds are far short of the amounts needed to correct Native Americans’ extensive housing problems. The report, ”A Quiet Crisis: Federal Funding and Unmet Needs in Indian Country”, which also covers education, health, and other issues is available at: www.usccr.gov or by calling Danielle Lewis at (202) 833-9771. Study shows how Census 2000 data impact CDBG. A new HUD report details how and why funding allocations have shifted among states and among entitlement jurisdictions over the past 10 years. A future report will consider the impact on CDBG targeting to community development need. The report, “Redistribution Effect of Introducing Census 2000 Data into the CDBG Formula” is available at: file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM] State of Arizona www.huduser.org/publications/commdevl/redcenscdbg.html or call toll-free (800) 245-2691. A recent Urban Institute survey shows that housing costs contribute to low health insurance participation. According to the survey, 73% of lowincome adults reported hardship related to food, housing, or health care. “Hardship Among the Uninsured: Choosing Among Food, Housing and Health Insurance” is free at: www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/310775_B-54.pdf. U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) highlights bank roles in affordable rural housing. The spring issue of the OCC’s Community Developments newsletter illustrates ways banks can help address rural housing needs. The newsletter is free to download from their website at: www.occ.treas.gov or by calling: (202) 874-4960. OCC also maintains a Rural Community Development Banking Resource Directory at: www.occ/treas.gov/cdd/Rural.htm. HUD launches website in Spanish. To improve access to HUD programs, HUD has created a Spanish version if its site at: http://espanol.hud.gov. Office of the Comptroller publishes rule on bank investments. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates national banks, has amended its regulations governing bank investments in public welfare, including community development. For more information see the Federal Register, 8/15/2003, pp. 48771-83, or contact Michele Myer at (202) 874-5090. CDFI rating comments invited. Until October 10 the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund will accept comments on indicators to measure CDFI performance. Go to: www.cdfifund.gov or contact Donna Fabiani, PLUMcomment@cdfi.treas.gov. ADOH Provides Technical Assistance. ADOH provides technical assistance to help communities, organizations and tribal entities to develop innovative projects that address their housing needs. Interested entities can receive staff assistance to pursue the steps necessary to develop housing and community development projects and strategies. To be eligible, ADOH must receive a letter of intent from interested entities. More information on this assistance is on our website at www.housingaz.com. You can also email technical assistance-related questions to: technicalassistance@housingaz.com. The Rural Water Infrastructure Committee (RWIC), staffed by the Arizona Small Utilities Association meets monthly at various locations throughout Arizona. Rural communities are invited to attend to discuss specific water and waste water problems in their areas. For more information and meeting dates/times contact Neal Whittle at: nwhittle@asua.org. Need to make a speedy delivery of materials to our office at the Capitol? . . . then we need to warn you that you may not want to use the U.S. Postal system. Since the incidents on 9/11/2001, all incoming mail to the Capitol undergoes a physical security screening at a separate facility prior to actual delivery to the Capitol complex. As a result, correspondence that would typically reach its destination in 1-2 days is taking as many as 34 days or more. For this reason, if the information you are sending is time-sensitive you might wish to send it by messenger, next-day delivery service, or by e-mail. We apologize for the inconvenience, but know our constituents understand increased security concerns that necessitate the increased security measures. Recent Funding Announcements . . . Since July 1st, ADOH has made the following commitments for funding of housing and community development programs and projects in Arizona: Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Awards from the 2003 Competitive Round: Project Name Maddox Estates Townhomes Mingus Estates Apartment Homes Sandstone Highlands Senior Community Pinehurst at Flagstaff Page Commons Canal Senior Apartments Whispering Palms Apartments Mathew Henson Apartments – Phase I Canyon Run Village Quartzsite Senior Apartments Bienestar Apartments II Casa Bonita III, IV, V Crystal Creek Townhomes Tierra Del Cielo Apartments Colonia Libre Townhomes AZ 16-26 Apache Ridge II Willcox Farmworkers Apartments River Bend Apartments II North Reservation – Phase I Developer CDG-Eloy, LLC Campbell-Hogue & Associates, Inc. WESCAP Development, LLC Pacific Communities of Idaho, LLC Mercy Housing Southwest Payson Regional Housing Development Native American Connections, Inc. McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. Bethel Development, Inc. Quartzsite Woman’s Club, Inc. Chelsea Investment Corp/Comite de Bien Estar RISE, Inc. Hope Development, LLC/Equity Housing Group The JL Gray Company Development Design Group White Mountain Apache Housing Authority Cordes Development I, Inc. TMM Family Services, Inc. Englewood Development Company, Inc. Cocopah Indian Housing and Development Project Location Eloy Cottonwood Flagstaff Flagstaff Gilbert Payson Phoenix Phoenix Prescott Quartzsite San Luis Affordable Units 60 96 70 83 100 63 20 149 84 40 64 Total Units 60 96 70 84 100 63 20 198 84 40 64 Tucson Sierra Vista 60 85 60 89 Somerton South Tucson Navajo County (scattered) Whiteriver Willcox Youngtown Yuma 32 60 40 22 40 56 40 32 60 40 22 40 56 40 State Housing Fund Program: Recipient Service Area file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM] Type of Program/Project Funding State of Arizona Cocopah Indian Housing Development Comite de Bien Estar, Inc. Somerton San Luis Bisbee Community Y Bisbee Against Abuse, Inc. Casa Grande Community Behavioral Health Services, Inc. Page New Arizona Family, Inc. Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Ozanam Manor) Phoenix Phoenix Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness Statewide Information & Referral Services, Inc. 13 Rural Counties Western Rural Area: Rehabilitation of rental property New construction of homeownership units Southeast Rural Area: Predevelopment loan for rental project Central Rural Area: New construction of emergency shelter Northern Rural Area: Acquisition/rehabilitation of a rental project Metropolitan Areas: Acquisition/rehabilitation of an emergency shelter Emergency operating grant for transitional housing Statewide: Homeless Conference Rural Counties: Homeless Planning for the Rural Continuum of Care 274,672 248,000 16,400 426,665 329,671 450,598 5,000 20,000      Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program: Recipient Service Area Bullhead City, City of Lake Havasu City, City of Lake Havasu City, City of Parker, Town of Parker, Town of San Luis, City of San Luis, City of Somerton, City of Somerton, City of Somerton, City of Bullhead City Lake Havasu City Lake Havasu City Parker Parker San Luis San Luis Somerton Somerton Somerton Bisbee, City of Bisbee, City of Cochise County Douglas, City of Huachuca City, Town of Pima, Town of Sierra Vista, City of Sierra Vista, City of Bisbee Bisbee Cochise County Douglas Huachuca City Pima Sierra Vista Sierra Vista Apache Junction, City of Apache Junction, City of Apache Junction, City of Casa Grande, City of Coolidge, City of Coolidge, City of Gila County Globe, City of Globe, City of Globe, City of Globe, City of Hayden, Town of Mammoth, Town of Mammoth, Town of Miami, Town of Miami, Town of Pinal County Pinal County Superior, Town of Superior, Town of Winkelman, Town of Winkelman, Town of Apache Junction Apache Junction Apache Jucntion Casa Grande Coolidge Coolidge Gila County Globe Globe Globe Globe Hayden Mammoth Mammoth Miami Miami Pinal County Pinal County Superior Superior Winkelman Winkelman Coconino County Colorado City, Town of Cottonwood, City of Cottonwood, City of Cottonwood, City of Fredonia, Town of Fredonia, Town of Navajo County Prescott Valley, Town of Prescott Valley, Town of Coconino County Colorado City Cottonwood Cottonwood Cottonwood Fredonia Fredonia Navajo County Prescott Valley Prescott Valley Type of Program/Project Western Rural Area: Housing Rehabilitation Program Housing Rehabilitation Program Housing Rehabilitation Program – State Special Project Library Improvements – State Special Project Senior Center Improvements – State Special Project Cultural Center Expansion Sanitation Vehicle – State Special Project Street Improvements Boys & Girls Club Housing Rehabilitation Program – State Special Project Southeast Rural Area: Street Improvements Park Improvements Housing Rehabilitation Program – State Special Project Fire Engine Pump Truck – State Special Project Swimming Pool Construction Drainage and Street Improvements Street Improvements Housing Rehabilitation Program – State Special Project Central Rural Area: Housing Rehabilitation Program Mobile Command Unit – State Special Project Senior Center – kitchen equipment Housing Rehabilitation Program Street Improvements East Park Improvements Housing Rehabilitation Program Housing Rehabilitation Program Community-based Clean Up City-wide Clean Up Adult Day Care Operating & Maintenance Water Improvements Parks and Recreation Street Improvements Town Wide Street Improvements Neighborhood Street Improvements Housing Rehabilitation Program Housing Rehabilitation Program – State Special Project Belmont Street Improvements Town-wide Clean Up Street, Sidewalks and Drainage Improvements Community Center Rehabilitation Northern Rural Area: Housing Rehabilitation Project – State Special Project Richard Street Improvements Senior Center Improvements Transitional Housing Improvements Housing Rehabilitation Program Secondary Water System Waste Water Treatment Plant Lagoon Partition Housing Rehabilitation Program Homeowner Assistance Removal of Barriers file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM] Funding 676,031 676,032 190,000 127,500 74,980 649,394 190,000 494,809 130,000 24,584 441,500 32,305 90,000 300,000 383,705 453,582 353,705 30,000 203,512 299,379 117,858 160,685 284,875 36,495 160,685 95,885 27,000 27,000 10,800 160,685 246,370 75,000 135,691 25,000 160,685 157,000 135,685 25,000 256,370 65,000 177,000 338,016 251,472 115,000 118,000 192,668 203,568 672,591 160,000 87,211 State of Arizona Prescott Valley, Town of Sedona, City of Sedona, City of Sedona, City of Sedona, City of Springerville, Town of Taylor, Town of Yavapai County Yavapai County Prescott Valley Sedona Sedona Sedona Sedona Springerville Taylor Ash Fork Yavapai County Housing Rehabilitation Program Domestic Violence Counselor Head Start Playground Equipment Adult Center Pool Improvements and Removal of Barriers Housing Rehabilitation Program Housing Rehabilitation Program Az Step – Water Improvements Tank and Line Ash Fork Fire Truck – State Special Project Senior Center Improvement – State Special Project 267,260 160,000 30,000 90,000 234,472 145,998 319,500 71,700 48,000 State Housing Fund – amounts remaining available . . . look for this list to be updated regularly at www.housingaz.com To assist applicants with planning, the agency website has begun posting information on the amount of funding remaining in the State Housing Fund (HOME and Housing Trust Funds) by Activity. Vol. 2, No. 4, released October 2003 © 2003 by the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing. The Arizona Department of Housing wants your feedback. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on how we can improve this electronic newsletter, please reply and give us your thoughts by calling Carol Ditmore at (602) 771-1062, or by email: carold@housingaz.com. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To cancel your subscription to this newsletter, click on the following link and then click “send”: mail to: cynthiad@housingaz.com? SUBJECT=UNSUBSCRIBE To change the e-mail address at which you receive this newsletter, click on the following link, type your old address in the body of the message and then “send”: mailto:cynthiad@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=ADDRESS_CHANGE THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE STATE OF ARIZONA PRESENTS THE MATERIAL IN THIS NEWSLETTER WITHOUT IT OR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES MAKING ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ASSUMING ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, PRODUCT OR PROCESS DISCLOSED, OR REPRESENTING THAT ITS USE WOULD NOT INFRINGE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS. THE USER ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ACCURACY AND THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY RELATED OR LINKED DOCUMENTS. THE STATE OF ARIZONA, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING RETAINS THE RIGHT TO CONTENT AND TO EDIT OR OTHERWISE LIMIT INFORMATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER. This E-mail update may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included 2. All copies must contain the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Housing copyright notice and any other notices provided therein 3. This document may NOT be distributed for profit Administration Division Arizona Department of Housing 1700 West Washington Street, Suite 210 Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Telephone 602-771-1000 TTY 602-771-1001 Facsimile 602-771-1002 http://www.housingaz.com file:///P|/E%20Newsletters/Enewsletters%202003/Fall%202003.htm[8/4/2011 9:08:32 AM]